Texas Basketball vs. OK State: 3 bold predictions for Stillwater clash

Marcus Carr literally one-ups Bryce Thompson in the scoring department

While Thompson is really hot in the last few games in terms of his scoring numbers, he hasn’t matched what senior guard Marcus Carr has done on the offensive end of the floor for the Longhorns of late. Carr has truly played like the MVP of the Big 12 in the last six or eight games.

In the six games that Carr has played under Terry as the acting head coach this season, he’s averaging an impressive 24 points per game, four assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.8 turnovers. And he’s shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 56.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Carr is on a hot streak right now that only a handful of other Division I players have matched so far this season. There are only three other guards that have averaged at least 23.5 points per game while shooting better than 50 percent from beyond the arc and from the field over the course of any six-game span this season.

However, I don’t just think this is a hot streak that will be short-lived for Carr. He’s playing with more purpose in a more driven and free-flowing offense under Terry. Carr has found a new proficiency of late in terms of his catch-and-shoot ability, especially from deep.

According to Barttorvik, a career-high 82.1 percent of Carr’s three-point makes are assisted so far this season. Since Carr is shooting a career-best 44.8 percent from beyond the arc this season, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he’s hit his stride as more of a catch-and-shoot threat than a tough-shot maker.

Terry has also tapped into a new type of versatility in Carr’s game where he can eat off of some off-ball screens and dribble handoffs to get open looks from the field.

All the while, Carr is still maintaining his potency as a scorer in transition and a player that can thrive in drive-and-kick situations when he’s drawing a lot of attention from opposing defenses.

The way Carr has played of late inspires confidence that he can turn his fortunes around against Oklahoma State. Carr struggled against the Pokes last season, averaging just nine points per game while shooting less than 30 percent from the field in two contests. If he could get this monkey off his back in a critical spot early in the Big 12 slate, that would be massive for the Longhorns.