The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Houston Baptist
Men's Basketball preview: Houston Baptist [Nov. 18, 2013]
11.16.2013 | Men's Basketball
Texas Longhorns (3-0) vs. Houston Baptist Huskies
CBE Hall of Fame Classic Regional Round
Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 - 7 p.m. Central
Frank Erwin Center (16,540) - Austin, Texas
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GAMEDAY QUICK FACTS
TELEVISION: The game will be televised nationally by Longhorn Network. Paul Sunderland (pxp) and Bruce Bowen (analyst) will call the action.
RADIO: The Longhorn Sports Network and KVET (FM 98.1/1300AM Sportsradio the Zone) broadcast every UT game on the statewide network. Craig Way (pxp) and Eddie Oran (analyst) will call the action. Check www.TexasSports.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game.
SERIES: Texas and Houston Baptist are meeting for the first time.
THE MATCHUP: TEXAS VS. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
- The game between Texas and Houston Baptist is a CBE Hall of Fame Classic Regional Round contest.
- Texas and Houston Baptist have never met prior to Monday night's meeting.
- For the Longhorns, this will be the second straight game against a team out of the Southland Conference.
- The Huskies are coming off a one-week layoff after defeating Crowley's Ridge (76-61) at home last Monday.
- Texas will be the second team HBU will face out of the Big 12 within its first three games. The Huskies dropped their season opener to Texas Tech (76-61) in Lubbock on Nov. 8.
WHAT'S IN A WIN
• A win would mark the 1,678th victory in program history.
• A win would mark head coach Rick Barnes' 362nd victory at Texas, and his 564th victory all-time as a head coach.
• A win would move the Horns to 4-0 for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign and for the ninth time under Rick Barnes.
HOLLAND'S CAREER NIGHT
Sophomore Demarcus Holland recorded a career-high 21 points during Friday's win against Stephen F. Austin. Holland also set career highs in field goals made (9-of-13) and minutes played (36).
COMEBACK HORNS
The Longhorns have rallied for second-half comeback wins in each of their first three contests. UT overcame a nine-point deficit (62-53) with 9:44 left against Mercer, going on a 23-11 run to close the game. The Horns also trailed South Alabama by 10 points (64-54) at the 11:51 mark, before closing the contest on a 30-13 run. In Friday's win against SFA, UT faced a five-point deficit (40-35) with 16:31 left. Tied at 60-60 at the 3:10 mark, the Horns closed the game with a 12-2 spurt.
LAMMERT'S IMPROVEMENT
Sophomore forward Connor Lammert leads the team in rebounding (7.0 rpg) and ranks fifth in scoring (10.0 ppg) in 21.7 minutes per game while hitting 12-of-17 (.706) field goals through the first three contests. By comparison, Lammert averaged 4.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 21.0 minutes per game while hitting 48.1 percent (64-of-133) from the floor last year.
LONE STAR STATE SUCCESS
• Since Rick Barnes arrived in Austin in 1998, the Longhorns have emerged as the dominant college basketball program in the state of Texas.
• The Horns have posted a 135-19 (.874) record against in-state foes during the Barnes era entering Friday's game, including marks of 27-7 against Baylor, 23-7 against Texas A&M and 29-3 against Texas Tech.
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HOLMES RETURNS AS LONE SCHOLARSHIP JUNIOR
As UT's most experienced player on this year's roster, junior forward Johnathan Holmes has been a major key in the Longhorns' 3-0 start. Holmes' numbers have improved signficantly from a season ago, as he leads the team in scoring (15.0 ppg) and in three-point shooting with an effectiveness of 58.3 percent (7-of-12). The junior forward has also led or tied for the team lead in rebounds in each of the last two games. For the season he has hauled down 6.0 rpg. Holmes has played in 65 career games (47 starts) during his first three seasons. Last season, he led the squad in rebounding (5.6 rpg) as a sophomore despite averaging just 20.5 minutes per game. Holmes has reached double figures in scoring 21 times and has set double digit totals in rebounds three times in his career.
FELIX FACTS
The top returning scorer from last season's team (6.8 ppg), Felix has already more than doubled his average scoring output this year with 13.7 ppg. Felix has opened the season with three straight games in whcih he has reached double figures, marking the longest streak of his carrer. The sophomore guard has played in 36 games (25 starts) through his two-year career thus far. After topping the team in assists last season (139), Felix has dished out a team-best 14 helpers through the first three games of 2013-14.
RIDLEY RISES
After playing in 33 of the 34 games (19 starts) as a freshman last year, sophomore Cameron Ridley has made starts in all three games as a sophomore. So far this season, he leads the squad with seven blocked shots, while ranking in a tie for second on the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg.) with Demarcus Holland. He led the team in blocked shots (47) and ranked fourth in rebounding (4.3 rpg) while averaging 16.4 minutes per contest last year. Ridley tallied his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and 10 boards in 32 minutes against UCLA (Dec. 8).
PRINCE'S PRESENCE
Coming off a year in which he played in all 34 games (four starts) as a freshman, sophomore Prince Ibeh has continued to see action in every contest as sophomore. In 16.0 minutes per game, Ibeh has rejected five shots and has hauled down 4.3 rpg. In 2012-13, he ranked second on the team in blocked shots (40) despite averaging just 10.4 minutes per contest last year. Ibeh was voted the team's Most Improved Player last year following the season. He had his best game of the year in the season finale at Houston (March 20), posting 12 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks in 23 minutes.
LAMMERT LOOKING FOR LARGER ROLE
Sophomore forward Connor Lammert returns for his second season in the frontcourt rotation. He played in all 34 games (nine starts) as a freshman and ranked fifth on the team in rebounding (4.2 rpg) and seventh in scoring (4.5 ppg) while averaging 21.0 minutes per contest. Through three games this season, Lammert has mightily improved his production from a year ago. In 21.7 minutes per game, Lammert leads the team with 7.0 rpg, while averaging 10.0 ppg at a team-best 70.6 field goal percentage.
