Longhorns vs. UTEP: 3 Things to Watch For in Season Opener

The No. 12 Texas Longhorns begin the 2022-23 season Monday night against the UTEP Miners.

The No. 12 Texas Longhorns ring in the 2022-23 season and the new Moody Center on Monday night by welcoming the UTEP Miners to Austin. 

The Horns are currently a 21.5-point favorite in a game where they are expected to come away with a lopsided win. But coach Chris Beard is hardly taking the Miners for granted. Let’s look at three things to watch for when Texas and UTEP tip-off at 8 p.m. CT Monday night.

Marcus Carr & Tyrese Hunter Backcourt Chemistry 

Adding Tyrese Hunter to the fold alongside Marcus Carr in the backcourt this was seen as one of the better acquisitions in college basketball this offseason. Now the talented duo will see if they can make it all come together in the season opener.

Carr dominated ball-handling duties last season, as Andrew Jones and Courtney Ramey served better as off-guards. But with the addition of Hunter, Carr could slide back in as a combo guard, something his skillset is arguably better suited for. While the fifth-year senior can make timely passes, his talent comes more naturally as a scorer

Hunter, on the other hand, was third in the Big 12 in assists per game last season (4.9) on his way to winning Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Of course, he’s just as elite as a catch-and-shoot threat or as an off-ball slasher, but it’ll be interesting to see how the offense operates with these dominating the workload.

Can Texas answer the bell against Joe Golding’s tough-nosed defense? 

Brock Cunningham has seen a Joe Golding-led team before and it’s a memory he’d probably like to forget. 

Golding was the head coach of the Abilene Christian team that upset third-seeded Texas 53-52 in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2021. The Wildcats defense held the Longhorns to a season-low point total, as Golding’s defensive scheme hounded a talented Texas team that saw three players get selected in the NBA Draft a few months later.

The win helped propel Golding to the same role at UTEP. In his first year with the Miners last season, he totaled a 20-14 record. UTEP had one of the best defenses in Conference USA, allowing the second-fewest points per game (66.6) in the 14-team league. Only North Texas allowed less points at 55.7, which was tops in all of college basketball.

Golding already has a potential mental edge over the Horns. His defense could look for an on-court advantage as well. 

Impact of Texas’ freshman

Fans got a glimpse of what Texas’ highly-touted freshmen were capable of in the exhibition win over the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks on Oct. 29. 

Guard Arterio Morris led all scorers with 17 points while forward Dillon Mitchell added 10 points and had some high-flying dunks and blocks for good measure.

Now with the season set to get underway, it’ll be interesting to see how these two, along with freshman Alex Anamekwe, will be utilized. Beard admitted that the team intends to redshirt fellow freshman guard Rowan Brumbaugh while Preston Clark is unlikely to see the floor much this season.

There was no secret that Morris and Mitchell would hold a significant role in the rotation this season, but now the team will see if there’s any freshman growing pains they’ll need to work to as Texas begins non-conference play. 

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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