Texas basketball vs. Tennessee: 5 bold predictions in non-con finale
Dylan Disu leads Texas in rebounds and points
A versatile big man that Texas could use to find some small matchup advantages in this game is the fourth-year power forward/center Disu. The fourth-year big man is rebounding the ball well, protecting the rim, and finding some different sources of offense in an efficient way in the last couple of weeks.
Disu’s ability to rebound the ball well is going to be critical in Texas’ upset bid this weekend.
It’s interesting to note that Disu actually led Texas in rebounding percentage against Tennessee last season. He was just limited to 13 minutes due to a combination of frontcourt depth and injury issues.
If he’s healthy in this one, he’ll be a critical component for Texas in the battle on the boards.
Furthermore, one of the areas where Tennessee is at least a little bit prone to giving up some clean offensive looks is from the mid-range. The reason for that, of course, is the fact that most college teams aren’t very efficient at shooting from the mid-range. Barnes and the Vols are often fine with giving up those mid-range looks in exchange for contesting shots around the rim and from deep.
Dylan Disu has become a mid-range assassin and a strong finisher at the rim this season. pic.twitter.com/2yltAEqQzA
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) January 25, 2023
It just so happens that Disu has turned into a really efficient mid-range shooter in the last month or so. And in the last five games, Disu really has proven to be one of the most capable mid-range threats among big men in the country. He’s hitting his mid-range field goal attempts at a clip of 52 percent in the last five games, which ranks among the top five eligible players at his position in the major conferences in that timeframe.
Next. 3 standouts that could lead Texas to the Final Four in 2023. dark
Disu has also become a more proficient back-to-the-basket scorer this season. And let’s not forget that there was a point in time when Disu was one of the better floor-spacing big men in the SEC. He’s also familiar with Tennessee given the two seasons that he played at Vanderbilt prior to transferring to Texas a couple of years ago.
In a game that could have such tight margins on the offensive end for Texas, any possible matchup advantages that Disu could give them will be huge.