Longhorns struggle with shots early but heat up in second half
AUSTIN — It had been six days since Texas point guard Matt Coleman last saw one of his shots fall in a game. UT’s team-wide shooting woes made that stretch even more excruciating, though it had yet to translate into a loss for the Longhorns.
Coleman knocked down a 3pointer late in the first half of a 6555 win over Louisiana-Monroe (2-1) to end an 0-for-10 cold spell from the field, but Texas (3-0) was hamstrung by another anemic shooting performance Monday night at a desolate Erwin Center.
“Obviously, you want to make more shots,” coach Shaka Smart said. “First half, there was a lot of missing layups, missing 3s, a lot of getting caught up in themselves. That can take away from your energy as a team in terms of what you need to do. Thought the second half was way better.”
It took Texas about 30 minutes to finally shake a UL-Monroe team that, according to Ken Pomeroy’s advanced statistics, ranked among 240th in offensive and defensive efficiency. Making the optics worse, the Warhawks were playing without leading scorer Daishon Smith.
That’s troubling. Glimpses of a competent, thrilling, offense were interspersed with extended bouts where the rim seemed shielded by an imperceptible manhole cover. Even point-blank looks rattled around the cylinder and ricocheted out.
The season is too young for fullon panic to set in, though. Texas has won every time out in spite of its ongoing issues, and the new faces are acclimating.
UT’s execution and shot-making improved dramatically in the second half as it began to force stops, push the pace and utilize a considerable advantage in height and athleticism. Smart’s switch to a zone coupled with full-court pressure also helped swing the game.
“We shared the ball,” said guard Elijah Mitrou-Long, who had nine points and three rebounds. “We understood if you had the open shot, shoot it, doesn’t matter if it goes in or not. We just let our hair loose. Our defense really triggered our offense. We were getting a lot of deflections and stops and pushing it in transition.”
The team Texas can be was on display during a 16-0 second-half spurt that broke open a 43-43 contest.
Mitrou-Long slithered around a high screen to kick off the run with a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Guard Kerwin Roach knocked down a jumper, then put himself in position to finish Coleman’s missed fast-break layup with a two-handed slam. Forward Dylan Osetkowski (12 points, 10 rebounds) outmuscled a couple of Warhawks to corral an offensive rebound and finish a reverse layup and-1.
Roach utilized his speedy first step to dart past defenders and break down the defense, forcing UL-Monroe to scramble. He used that chaos to score eight points and hand out four assists, part of a 13-point, six-assist night.
That game-changing run culminated with a pick-and-roll lob from Roach to forward Jaxson Hayes, executed to perfection. Hayes floated over two defenders, caught the ball and hammered it through the rim to put Texas ahead with 6½ minutes remaining.
The slip screen and lob to Hayes was a near replica of his pivotal overtime dunk in Friday’s 73-71 win over Arkansas. When run right, Hayes’ height, length, and spring-loaded legs make it nearly unstoppable.
Hayes has been the most reliable Longhorn in that he’s good for a handful of jaw-dropping plays that tend to inspire awe and some murmured expletives from onlookers. The 6-11 freshman forward finished with 11 points on 5of-8 shooting and added five rebounds and three blocks in 26 minutes.
“He’s got a lot of upside,” Smart said. “He’s a gem that needs to continue to be polished. But he’s a really good one, he’s got a good work ethic and he learns fast. He’s willing to stick his nose in the play. I think his football background really helps with that.”
Texas’ final shooting line — 42 percent from the field, 24 percent from 3-point range, 64 percent from the free-throw line — is an eyesore, but the Longhorns shot 50 percent from the field in the second half on the strength of a 14for-21 showing inside the arc.
“I like that we have found a way in games where some of our key guys haven’t necessarily played their best,” Smart said. “The flip side is, we’ve got to get those guys playing better. We’ve got to get Matt playing better, get Jericho (Sims) playing better. It’s a time of year when everybody is finding themselves. The key is just to win and grow.”