Texas basketball (11-2, 0-0 SEC) wrapped up its 13-game nonconference schedule on Sunday with a 24-point trouncing of Northwestern State. This was a common theme throughout November and December, as the Longhorns racked up eight of their 11 wins by more than 20 points.
SEC play tips off in under one week for Texas basketball and Rodney Terry
Although most of the Horns' nonconference schedule was not a challenge per se, it allowed a program that welcomed nine new faces this offseason to gel on the court.
Texas dropped its only two Quad 1 opportunities of the non-con (Ohio State, UConn), but there is little cause for concern.
Fourteen of the Longhorns' 18-game SEC schedule are currently Quad 1 opportunities, and the other four are Quad 2.
Think of the 2024-25 Texas basketball nonconference slate as an appetizer for what looks to be an immense buffet of SEC play.
Before we look ahead, let's reflect. Here are five things we learned during Texas basketball's nonconference action.
No. 1 Tre Johnson is elite
A consensus five-star recruit, Tre Johnson held one of the most highly coveted signatures in the class of 2024. Coach Rodney Terry and the Longhorns won out, paying massive dividends this season.
Johnson is the most talented freshman to step on the Forty Acres since Kevin Durant in 2006 (and that is saying a lot, considering Texas has produced five lottery picks in that span).
He gained the trust of his teammates throughout the summer and fall, so there is no animosity when the 19-year-old attempts 14.6 shots per game. It helps when those shots directly lead to winning basketball.
Johnson is shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 44.5 percent from three. Although some of his shots look forced, I can promise you no coach or teammate has a problem with Johnson's shot selection. He takes and makes tough shots, a skill that will immediately translate to the next level.
The true freshman is averaging 19.7 points per game, good for tops in the SEC. He is truly a three-level scorer who can get his shot up from any spot on the floor.
Johnson is also incredibly unselfish. A willing passer, he has four games this season with at least four assists. He plays with tremendous energy and passion, something that will shine through during SEC play.
Johnson will be one of the first names called in the 2025 NBA Draft. Let's hope he can be the catalyst for a Texas run in March.