Texas Basketball: 5 Things to Know Before Big 12 Play
By Shane Black
2. The backcourt could be one of the best in the Big 12
When Coach Terry signed current NCAA leading scorer Max Abmas this offseason, the expectation was that he and Tyrese Hunter would bring an exciting, fast-paced style of basketball to the Moody Center.
The early play of Abmas and Hunter was a microcosm of the entire team; there have been plenty of bright spots, but rarely have we seen the two play their best basketball in the same game. That has changed over the last two weeks.
Here are how things stand during the last four games the duo has played together:
- Abmas: 15.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, 3.3 RPG - .465/.346/.875
- Hunter: 16.3 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.5 RPG - .581/.538/.615
Hunter has found his rhythm on the offensive end, putting up a season-high 23 points and seven assists in the Dec. 29 win over UNCG. It was one of Hunter’s more complete performances as a Longhorn and came at a very opportune time, with conference play right around the corner.
It seems as if the duo of Hunter and Abmas has turned a corner regarding their backcourt cohesion. If they can efficiently combine for 30+ points and 10+ assists per game in Big 12 play, Texas will be a contender in the conference.