Texas to give attention to fundamentals in opposition to Mississippi Valley State

Texas looks to continue to build chemistry and depth as it showcases freshman phenom Tre Johnson at home against Mississippi Valley State on Saturday afternoon in Austin, Texas.

The Longhorns (2-1) return to the floor after a resounding 105-58 home win over Chicago State on Tuesday. Johnson scored 19 points in just 22 minutes for Texas and has led the Longhorns in scoring in all three games of his collegiate career so far for a 25.3 average.

Ze’Rik Onyema added 18 points for Texas while Arthur Kaluma had 15, Kadin Shedrick scored 12 and Julian Larry delivered 10. The Longhorns led from the jump, shot 57.1 percent from the floor and racked up 21 assists on 36 made baskets.

“If you’re a willing passer, a willing screener, then you’re going to probably get a scoring opportunity, so sharing the basketball, moving the basketball, player movement, ball movement, we want those things,” Texas head coach Rodney Terry said.

“We don’t need to dribble in the ball more than twice. Move the basketball, have great spacing. We’re still early in our journey with that. We’ll continue to get better as the season goes.”

Saturday’s contest is the third of a three-game homestand for the Longhorns after a season-opening loss to Ohio State that dropped Texas out of the Associated Press Top 25.

The Delta Devils (1-2) head to Austin after a 111-39 loss at Missouri on Thursday. Arthur Tate led Mississippi Valley State with 10 points and Donovan Sanders added eight points in game in which it trailed 51-19 at halftime.

Mississippi Valley State shot just 27.1 percent in the loss while going 1 of 10 from 3-point range and committing 23 turnovers that led to 45 points for Missouri. The Delta Devils went the final eight minutes without a field goal.

Tate and Sanders lead Mississippi Valley State in scoring at 11.0 and 10.3 points per game, respectively. Sanders paces the team at 7.3 rebounds per contest.

Mississippi Valley State is ranked dead last in the latest KenPom ranking of all 364 Division I programs and will play its next four games against power conference teams.

–Field Level Media