Texas Longhorns

Players jumping ship for the promise of NBA money is part of today's college game, and no school has done a better job of replacing its losses than the Texas Longhorns has in this decade. In 2000-01, coach Rick Barnes had to replace All-American big man Chris Mihm, who led the Longhorns to a 24-9 overall record and a #15 national ranking the season before. Despite having eight newcomers, including four freshmen, Texas struck back with a 25-win campaign and another appearance in the big dance. In 2001-02, Barnes was without his top two scorers from the season before in. That’s when T.J. Ford started his legacy, and led the Longhorns to their first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance since 1996-97 and earned NCAA freshman-of-the-year honors. In 2002-03, the Longhorns needed someone to step up in second-round NBA draft pick Chris Owens’ place. It, again, didn’t mater as Barnes took the Longhorns to the Final Four, where they were defeated by eventual national champion Syracuse in the semifinals. Before last season had gotten started, Ford was long gone, the 2003 John R. Wooden Award winner left town with two years of eligibility remaining and went to Milwaukee who grabbed him with the 8 th pick in the NBA Draft. Despite that UT lengthened its streak of consecutive years with 20 or more wins to five. The Longhorns once again advanced to the Sweet 16 thanks to the play of freshman P.J. Tucker.

This season might prove to be the toughest for Barnes since four seniors -- top scorer Brandon Mouton, leading assist-man Royal Ivey, career board leader James Thomas, and three-point sharpshooter Brian Boddicker -- who made up the winningest class in school history. Barnes is going to be taking a risk this year when he starts two true freshmen. Daniel Gibson will start at point guard and will have high expectations set for him since the most recent freshman point guard, Ford, led his team to the Sweet 16. The other freshman starter will be 6’10”, 230 lbs. center LaMarcus Aldridge. Both of the freshmen played their high school basketball in the state of Texas and are two of the three McDonald’s All-Americans in this year’s recruiting class.

Gibson and Aldridge will be joining Tucker, Sydmill Harris, and Brad Buckman in the starting lineup this year. Tucker will move from the power forward spot and start at small forward where Barnes hopes he will fill the void that was left with the departure of Mouton. Tucker led the team in rebounds and was the second highest scorer on the team last year behind Mouton. Harris will man the shooting guard this year He started in seven games last season before being relegated to the bench. Buckman will start at the power forward spot this year. He started in 26 games for the second straight season last year and looks to do the same this year.

The Longhorns will have their work cut out for them playing in the Big XII. The Kansas Jayhawks and Oklahoma State Cowboys are both ranked in the top 10 to start the season and will prove to be very formidable foes during conference play. Outside of those two teams they will also have to play the very tough Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas Tech squads. Outside of Baylor and Nebraska any of the other 11 teams in the Big XII could have a legitimate shot at being the conference champions.