Texas Basketball: UCF transfer G Ithiel Horton visiting Austin today

For the first time in a couple of months, Texas basketball and new full-time head coach Rodney Terry are hosting a visit from an NCAA Transfer Portal target. Gerry Hamilton of Inside Texas reported on July 5 (paid content) that Texas is hosting the former UCF Knights, Pitt Panthers, and Delaware Blue Hens redshirt senior transfer shooting guard Ithiel Horton on an official visit.

Horton also reportedly scheduled a visit to Lawrence this week to see head coach Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks.

Texas is still seeking help in the backcourt/wing rotation via the transfer portal after adding a commitment in the 2023 recruiting class from the former Kansas four-star combo guard pledge Chris Johnson last week. Adding a commitment from Johnson brought Terry and the Longhorns to nine scholarship players on the roster heading into the 2023-24 season.

Terry and this staff value proven experience and lengthier guards, which are two boxes the 6-foot-4.5 and 205-pound two-guard Horton checks. He’s got four years of experience under his belt between his time at Delaware, Pitt, and UCF dating back to the 2018-19 college hoops season.

UCF transfer G Ithiel Horton visiting Texas basketball on July 5

Horton was an off-ball scorer that played most of his minutes at the three last season for the Knights. He started all 34 games he played at UCF last season, averaging 12.3 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.6 turnovers while shooting 37.6 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from deep.

Last year was an unusually inconsistent season for Horton in terms of his shooting efficiency. He shot below 35 percent from deep in a season for the first time in his collegiate career at UCF during the 2022-23 campaign.

But Horton is a natural shooting threat that shoots better than 36 percent from above the break and the corners from deep during his collegiate career.

Horton could be a proven off-ball scorer that provides guard/wing depth next season

Since Horton played more than half his minutes at UCF last season at the three, he could get significant minutes as a reserve wing or could add an offensive punch and some floor spacing in three-guard lineups for Terry and the Longhorns.

Here’s a look at how Horton could fit into the current projected rotation for Texas next season.

Starting lineup

PG: Max Abmas

SG: Tyrese Hunter

SF/Wing: Brock Cunningham/Dillon Mitchell

PF: Mitchell/Dylan Disu

C: Disu/Kadin Shedrick

Bench

Sixth man: Chendall Weaver

CG: Chris Johnson

SG/SF: Ithiel Horton

PF: Ze’Rik Onyema

F: Alex Anamekwe

Horton would give the Longhorns a volume shooter that could give some starter minutes at the three, assuming Terry wants a smaller starting backcourt. Or, Horton could be one of the higher-usage guards/wings that comes off the bench for 20-25 minutes per game.

More than likely, the most natural fit for Johnson would be as a lengthier reserve guard/wing that gives Terry a deeper bench with more proven experience in the mix.

We’ll continue to monitor Horton’s status in the next 24 hours as he wraps up his official visit to Texas.