Texas Longhorns: Freshmen Provide Glimpse Of Bright Future

The Texas Longhorns are getting a much-needed boost from their freshmen which gives a good look at what’s in store for their future.

The Texas Longhorns are in their first season with head coach Shaka Smart. With a new coach comes a different way of operating and sometimes a change of style in a few players. Whether it’s the addition of a certain aspect of play or a new and improved set of skills, new coaches often make players better.

That’s exactly what Smart has done with the three lone freshmen in Austin. Two of them, Eric Davis Jr. and Kerwin Roach Jr., committed when Rick Barnes was in the Lone Star State while the other, Tevin Mack, served as Smart’s first major piece on the job.

All three of these freshmen have been coming off of the bench with players like Shaq Cleare and Kendal Yancy. As the main contributors in the second unit, the Longhorns’ youngest players have turned into some of their most important assets and for that reason, they are proving that the Shaka Smart era in Texas is set to be a lot of fun.

Eric Davis Jr.

2015-16 Stats:

PPG: 8.3
RPG: 2.4
APG: 0.7

Best Game: In a loss to Texas A&M, Davis Jr. scored a team-high 19 points while adding a rebound and an assist. His four three-pointers were the most out of any player in the game.

Eric Davis Jr. is arguably the most intriguing freshman from Texas. He is often called on to serve as the backup point guard behind Isaiah Taylor and he has had more double-digit scoring games (8) than the other two freshmen combined (6).

He is particularly good at controlling the ball and operates well with just about any other player in the backcourt. Once Isaiah Taylor moves to the NBA, he will most likely be a starting guard for the Longhorns.

Kerwin Roach Jr.

2015-16 Stats:

PPG: 5.6
RPG: 2.2
APG: 1.3

Best Game: During the process of an absolute beatdown of UTSA, Roach Jr. did a little bit of everything, scoring 14 points (4-5) and adding three rebounds and four assists as well as a block and a steal.

Kerwin Roach Jr. has unique skill set that is going to be vital for the Longhorns as time rolls on. He is one of those all-around players that is great at just about everything. You will often seem him drop numbers in at least four of the five major statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks). Every now and then you will even see him get up for a huge slam.

Roach Jr. is a versatile player that every team would love to have. He is going to be a valuable option in the coming seasons.

Tevin Mack

2015-16 Stats:

PPG: 5.9
RPG: 2.4
APG: 0.5

Best Game: Mack is tough to stop whenever he is on his game and that’s exactly what happened against UConn earlier in the season. Though the Longhorns lost, Mack posted 20 points and six rebounds, including five three-pointers.

As a top-10 small forward coming out of high school, locking up Tevin Mack was the first big recruiting win for Shaka Smart. Mack has shown that he can be a reliable three-point shooter and he has made three or more of them in three games this season. His smooth release can be troublesome for defenders. At 6’6, Mack provides the Longhorns with a reliable wing option during any game.

From hookem.com, Mack on his shooting:

"“I started off slow. But I’m getting my feet under me and learning how to play this game at the college level and learning how to make shots.”"

By putting all of this together, it’s obvious that Shaka Smart is maximizing the talent from his future scorers and as he continues to recruit and bring in extra pieces, these freshmen are going to get even better.

Though it remains to be seen, there is a real possibility that all three of these players could be starting in the near future, depending on who decides to enter the NBA draft.

Next: Could The Postseason Ban Be Overturned For SMU?

Though it isn’t their time to lead the team yet, this freshmen trio is shining bright for the Texas Longhorns and that’s something that provides lots of excitement for the next couple of seasons.

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