No. 7 Texas opened Sean Miller’s second season on Monday against Chicago State at the Moody Center, and the Longhorns walked in with the same issue that could decide how far this group goes: can they protect the ball and finish possessions well enough to let their talent take over?
That question is sharper because Texas has 11 newcomers and only one returning starter, Matas Vokietaitis, who is supposed to steady the front line while the rest of the roster sorts itself out. The opener is a chance to start clean after an exhibition loss at St. John’s that left Miller talking less about the opponent’s pressure and more about his own team’s mistakes in the half court.
Texas turned the ball over 16 times in that 87-74 loss, including 10 before halftime, and St. John’s turned those miscues into 20 points. Isaiah Johnson and Austin Goosby were responsible for nine of those turnovers combined, a rough night for two players who will be asked to handle more of the load while Mikey Lewis recovers from a broken foot. Miller said on Oct. 14 at SEC media day that he expects Lewis back in December, which means the Longhorns have to survive the opening stretch without one of the guards who would normally help steady the offense.
The frontcourt was not immune. St. John’s grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and won the glass 33-28, and Miller’s bluntest criticism came with Vokietaitis in mind: Texas cannot have its starting center and coach matching rebound totals. Vokietaitis went into halftime without a rebound, then finished with 14 points and four rebounds after the break. That second-half recovery matters, but it also shows how quickly the game can tilt when Texas gives away extra possessions.
There were positives. Johnson led Texas with 18 points and four assists, and Vokietaitis, who averaged 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds last season on 61.9 percent shooting, again gave the Longhorns a reliable scoring option inside. Texas also went 22-of-34 from the foul line, an improvement it can build on if the shots stop coming after live-ball turnovers and missed box outs.
That is why Monday mattered even with Chicago State in front of them and a heavy favorite’s role waiting for Texas. The Longhorns are supposed to handle this one comfortably, but the exhibition exposed the part of the roster that has to come together fastest if the season is going to move past a soft opener and hold up once the schedule gets harder. Dailyn Swain is gone to the Chicago Bulls as the No. 15 pick in the NBA draft, and with the lineup rebuilt around a single returning starter, Texas needs the opener to look less like a test of survival and more like the start of a team that can control its own mistakes.
