Seth Fowler graduated from Texas in 1998. Since 2004, he has been helping home buyers and sellers in the DFW Metroplex. Whether new construction, existing homes, investment property, or land, he is your Real Estate Sherpa - guiding you through the process, making it an enjoyable experience. Based in Tarrant County, however, he will help connect you with a quality Realtor anywhere in Texas, the United States, or in the world. When looking to purchase or sell real estate in this new market, call Seth at 817.980.6636.
1st Half Summary.
Marcus Carr put on an absolute clinic in the first half, outscoring TAMU-Commerce by himself with 33 points, a record for points in a first half by a Texas MBB player. He shot 8/11 from three and 11/15 overall in one of the best performances by one player I've ever seen in college basketball. He really started to look like his old self at Minnesota, pulling up from deep and creating his own shots. While the game was close at times in the first, Texas pulled away and led by 18 points at the break.
2nd Half Summary.
Texas played great offense in the second half, but the defense wasn't as good as it typically is. They gave up 43 points to the Lions, but with such a big lead from the first half, and the way they were scoring, giving up a ton of points in the second period isn't the end of the world. They still managed to win by 25 (sorry, -30 bettors), and the game was never really in doubt after the first few minutes. Points in the paint were their bread and butter so to speak in the second half, finishing with 46 total between Bishop, Allen, and Mitchell. Overall, they lost focus a bit in a game where they were up big, which happens. The important thing is that they didn't allow the Lions to get back into it and build confidence or momentum.
Highlight of the Game.
There is no other option for highlight of the game here; its Carr's record-tying three-pointer from the corner, his 10th of the contest (13/19 from the field overall). He was absolutely dominant. It seemed like he couldn't miss from deep, and was clearly extremely locked in all game.
Player of the Game.
Shockingly, Marcus Carr is your player of the game, scoring 41 points on 13/19 shooting overall and 10/15 from deep. He was completely unstoppable, pulling up from three, scoring off of screens in catch-and-shoot situations, driving the lane and getting fouled, and assisting on four baskets as well. This was what Minnesota Marcus Carr looked like, and the player that was so hyped upon his transfer to Texas. This performance was the reason for Texas' overwhelming victory, 97-72. If Carr can at all replicate this kind of performance (and by this I mean 40%, not 66%) against conference teams, watch out – Texas may have the best back court in the conference, and that's saying something with the amount of talent Baylor has at that position.
Shooting.
Texas hit 12 of 27 from deep in this game, 10 of which were due to Marcus Carr's explosive night. Outside of Carr, however, they shot just 2/10 on threes. Allen, Hunter, Morris, and Rice combined for 1/10, while Brock Cunningham went 1/2 from beyond the arc. I'm not going to nitpick a 25-point victory in which a player had one of the best games of his career (and one of the best in UT history), the shooting outside of Marcus Carr has to improve going forward.
Defense.
The Texas defense left something to be desired tonight, allowing TAMU-C to shoot 53% from the field and 57% from three. While the offense was explosive, they missed a lot of assignments defensively, including bad switches, allowing dribble penetration, missing weak side rotations on skip passes that resulted in threes, and failing to properly ice ball screens. Once again, Texas played an excellent offensive game, so I'm not going to harp on this point too much, but their defense has to improve for their first conference game against Oklahoma on December 31st.
Freshman Ballers.
Behind Carr, Dillon Mitchell and Arterio Morris both had impressive games. Mitchell went 8/9 from the field for 16 points, while Morris scored 12 points on 4/9 from the field. Mitchell was super active on the offensive end, getting to the basket off-ball on back door sets and making elite, athletic cuts to the rim off of screens. His bounce and speed are undeniable, and he continues to illustrate why he's a projected lottery pick. He seems to be improving game to game, mostly with his ability to move without the ball. Meanwhile, Morris had two steals and a block to go with his points for the night, and was making hustle plays across the floor throughout his time on the court. He plays excellent defense, part of which is due to his physical frame and aggressiveness; he has no fear of contact. As the season progresses, watch the development of these two, as they could become key pieces for a team in the hunt for a national championship.
Overall.
This was Texas' final tune-up game before the real meat of the schedule starts: conference play. The Big 12 schedule is elite this year, as it always is, and there is no ducking teams. You play every team twice in an 18-game round robin, which is about as tough as it gets when you consider the amount of talent the league has. What we saw out of Marcus Carr could be an absolute game-changer if he's able to continue his hot streak into this tough schedule, Texas can legitimately compete for a national title, especially if Hunter can return to form from early in the year and Rice/Morris can stay consistent. It was an impressive showing today on the offensive end, as they nearly scored 100 points for the second game in a row.
1st Half Summary.
Marcus Carr put on an absolute clinic in the first half, outscoring TAMU-Commerce by himself with 33 points, a record for points in a first half by a Texas MBB player. He shot 8/11 from three and 11/15 overall in one of the best performances by one player I've ever seen in college basketball. He really started to look like his old self at Minnesota, pulling up from deep and creating his own shots. While the game was close at times in the first, Texas pulled away and led by 18 points at the break.
2nd Half Summary.
Texas played great offense in the second half, but the defense wasn't as good as it typically is. They gave up 43 points to the Lions, but with such a big lead from the first half, and the way they were scoring, giving up a ton of points in the second period isn't the end of the world. They still managed to win by 25 (sorry, -30 bettors), and the game was never really in doubt after the first few minutes. Points in the paint were their bread and butter so to speak in the second half, finishing with 46 total between Bishop, Allen, and Mitchell. Overall, they lost focus a bit in a game where they were up big, which happens. The important thing is that they didn't allow the Lions to get back into it and build confidence or momentum.
Highlight of the Game.
There is no other option for highlight of the game here; its Carr's record-tying three-pointer from the corner, his 10th of the contest (13/19 from the field overall). He was absolutely dominant. It seemed like he couldn't miss from deep, and was clearly extremely locked in all game.
Player of the Game.
Shockingly, Marcus Carr is your player of the game, scoring 41 points on 13/19 shooting overall and 10/15 from deep. He was completely unstoppable, pulling up from three, scoring off of screens in catch-and-shoot situations, driving the lane and getting fouled, and assisting on four baskets as well. This was what Minnesota Marcus Carr looked like, and the player that was so hyped upon his transfer to Texas. This performance was the reason for Texas' overwhelming victory, 97-72. If Carr can at all replicate this kind of performance (and by this I mean 40%, not 66%) against conference teams, watch out – Texas may have the best back court in the conference, and that's saying something with the amount of talent Baylor has at that position.
Shooting.
Texas hit 12 of 27 from deep in this game, 10 of which were due to Marcus Carr's explosive night. Outside of Carr, however, they shot just 2/10 on threes. Allen, Hunter, Morris, and Rice combined for 1/10, while Brock Cunningham went 1/2 from beyond the arc. I'm not going to nitpick a 25-point victory in which a player had one of the best games of his career (and one of the best in UT history), the shooting outside of Marcus Carr has to improve going forward.
Defense.
The Texas defense left something to be desired tonight, allowing TAMU-C to shoot 53% from the field and 57% from three. While the offense was explosive, they missed a lot of assignments defensively, including bad switches, allowing dribble penetration, missing weak side rotations on skip passes that resulted in threes, and failing to properly ice ball screens. Once again, Texas played an excellent offensive game, so I'm not going to harp on this point too much, but their defense has to improve for their first conference game against Oklahoma on December 31st.
Freshman Ballers.
Behind Carr, Dillon Mitchell and Arterio Morris both had impressive games. Mitchell went 8/9 from the field for 16 points, while Morris scored 12 points on 4/9 from the field. Mitchell was super active on the offensive end, getting to the basket off-ball on back door sets and making elite, athletic cuts to the rim off of screens. His bounce and speed are undeniable, and he continues to illustrate why he's a projected lottery pick. He seems to be improving game to game, mostly with his ability to move without the ball. Meanwhile, Morris had two steals and a block to go with his points for the night, and was making hustle plays across the floor throughout his time on the court. He plays excellent defense, part of which is due to his physical frame and aggressiveness; he has no fear of contact. As the season progresses, watch the development of these two, as they could become key pieces for a team in the hunt for a national championship.
Overall.
This was Texas' final tune-up game before the real meat of the schedule starts: conference play. The Big 12 schedule is elite this year, as it always is, and there is no ducking teams. You play every team twice in an 18-game round robin, which is about as tough as it gets when you consider the amount of talent the league has. What we saw out of Marcus Carr could be an absolute game-changer if he's able to continue his hot streak into this tough schedule, Texas can legitimately compete for a national title, especially if Hunter can return to form from early in the year and Rice/Morris can stay consistent. It was an impressive showing today on the offensive end, as they nearly scored 100 points for the second game in a row.
