Having won five in a row, Texas will attempt to build momentum for a huge game on the horizon when it hosts Delaware State on Friday in Austin, Texas.
The Longhorns (5-1) return home after 67-58 win over Saint Joseph’s in the finals of the Legends Classic in New York. Star freshman Tre Johnson led four Texas players in double-figure scoring with 17 points, marking the fourth time in his six-game career that he’s led been the team’s leading scorer.
Texas also got 14 points in the win from Arthur Kaluma, 12 from Julian Larry and 10 from Kadin Shedrick. The latter produced dunks on back-to-back possessions in the final 5:02 that ignited a decisive 16-6 run and carried the Longhorns to their fifth straight win after a season-opening loss to Ohio State in Las Vegas.
“We learned a lot about ourselves in a loss against Ohio State and even more from the wins we had in New York,” Texas guard Chendall Weaver said. “We are beginning to understand our roles better and it’s just about all of us coming together.”
Texas has won its three home games — all against mid-major teams — by an average of 41.3 points. After Friday’s game the competition is exponentially more difficult with games at North Carolina State and at home versus two-time defending national champion UConn.
The Hornets (3-4) roll into Austin after a 111-43 walloping of Penn State Wilkes-Barre at home on Tuesday as Kaseem Watson and Robert Smith scored 19 points apiece, Martaz Robinson had 11 and Alston Andrews hit for 10.
A member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Delaware State hasn’t had a winning season since the 2011-12 campaign and has struggled against Division I programs this year, falling to Virginia Tech, Columbia, Providence and Mount St. Mary’s (all on the road) by an average of 21 points.
“Our team’s goal is to win a championship,” Watson said. “Everything else will follow if we keep that goal in mind.”
The teams have played just once, an 86-59 win for the Longhorns last season.
–Field Level Media
