Texas Basketball: 2 studs, 1 dud from Longhorns’ win vs. Wyoming

Texas basketball (5-1, 0-0 Big 12) continued its nonconference slate on Sunday as the Wyoming Cowboys (4-2, 0-0 MWC) came to town. It was the first chance for the Horns to take the court following their Empire Classic championship game loss to UConn last Monday, and they came out firing, taking down the Cowboys 86-63 inside the Moody Center.

The Longhorns went into this game as a 16-point favorite and played like it for most of the contest.

Texas grabbed its first double-digit lead with 3:08 remaining in the first half after a Kadin Shedrick three-point play and never looked back. They took a 41-26 lead into the break and never let Wyoming get within 13 in the second half.

Five double-digit scorers paced Texas basketball’s win over Wyoming.

It was arguably the most complete offensive game of the season for the Horns, with five players finishing in double figures. As a team, Texas shot 55.7 percent from the field, 40 percent from deep, and 92.3 percent from the free throw line.

On the defensive side of the ball, Texas held the Cowboys to 39 percent shooting from the field and 30.8 percent from three. They outrebounded Wyoming 38-28 and finished with nine steals and seven blocks.

It was a much-needed get-right game for the Horns coming off a game where the reigning National Champion UConn Huskies outclassed them.

Texas basketball shifts its focus to a Thursday night matchup against Texas State inside the Moody Center before a Dec. 6 road tilt against a top-five Marquette Golden Eagles team led by former Texas head coach Shaka Smart.

Here’s a look at two studs and one dud from the Longhorns’ convincing 86-63 win over Wyoming.

Stud: Max Abmas, G

Max Abmas once again proved why he was one of the most highly-coveted transfers in the 2023 cycle. The fifth-year guard paced the Horns with 23 points. He finished 8-of-14 from the field, 3-of-6 from deep, and 4-of-4 from the line.

Abmas is an elite three-level scorer who continues to become more efficient within the Texas offense. He forced very few shots on Sunday, letting the game come to him. He had 13 first-half points, including a corner three as the half expired that helped the Horns carry momentum into the second half.

Aside from a game-high 23 points, Abmas added four rebounds, three assists, and a steal. His ability to collapse the defense and find his teammates was on display. His backcourt connection with Tyrese Hunter grows every time they step on the floor, as the duo looks like one of the most dangerous in the conference.

The nation’s most decorated scorer is now averaging 15.2 points per game as a Longhorn, shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three. Those numbers will only become more efficient as the season progresses.

Dud: Chendall Weaver, G

Honestly, it was tough to pick a dud from this game. Everyone in the Longhorns’ nine-man rotation filled their role nicely throughout the win. I went with Chendall Weaver here because I believe he has much more offensive talent than what has been shown.

Weaver played 16 minutes on Sunday, finishing with 0 points (0-1), two assists, and one rebound. He fouled out with 1:06 remaining in the game.

Last season’s WAC Freshman of the Year is the eighth man in this rotation and has played at least nine minutes in every game this season. He is shooting just 5-of-15 from the field and 2-of-8 from deep during his first six games as a Longhorn. That equates to one field goal attempt for every five minutes on the floor.

I would love to see Weaver become more aggressive on the offensive end. He has incredible athleticism and can attack the rim against bigger defenders. Last season at UT Arlington, he averaged 9.5 points per game while knocking down 40.2 percent of his threes on 2.6 attempts per game.

We know the offensive game is there; he needs to be more aggressive to find a rhythm.

I understand Weaver is likely the fourth or fifth offensive option when he is on the floor and seems to have carved out a nice niche as a high-energy defender, but the offense could open up if he becomes more aggressive and confident with his shot.

Stud: Kadin Shedrick, C

After notching a career-high 27 points in last Sunday’s win over Louisville, Kadin Shedrick spent Monday’s game against UConn on the sidelines after reaggravating his offseason shoulder injury.

Shedrick took the court against Wyoming and picked up right where he left off.

The Virginia transfer finished with 17 points (7-of-10), two rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals. It was his third consecutive game, scoring at least 15 points. For reference, Shedrick scored at least 15 points in just five of his 76 games as a Cavalier.

Shedrick came to Austin to transform his offensive game and has certainly done that. He is a focal point of Rodney Terry’s offense and provides an unguardable point guard/center combo with Max Abmas.

An underrated part of Shedrick’s game is his ability as a passer. He has terrific vision for a big and can crush defenses when they send a double-team at him.

When Dylan Disu returns from his foot injury, Texas may have the most formidable frontcourt duo in the country.