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2007 Big 12 Basketball Predictions
2007 Texas Basketball Predictions & Season Preview
How will the Longhorns fair without standout Kevin Durant
carrying the load this season. Jimmy’s 2007 Texas
Longhorns predictions and season preview give you
his take.
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With Texas losing LaMarcus Aldridge to the NBA two season’s ago and losing Kevin
Durant after last season, one would think that this program might be scraping
the bottom. Not even close. With those guys, the Longhorns would be challenging
for a national title. Without them, they still have the talent to get to their
fifth Sweet 16 in the last seven years. They lose 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds
per game from Durant. That will be hard to make up. But the Longhorns still have
one of the best backcourts in the country with point guard D.J. Augustin and
shooting guard A.J. Abrams. Abrams averaged 15.5 points per game last season and
Augustin tallied 14.4 points per game. Although some of their scoring
opportunities stemmed from the attention that Durant commanded, I don’t feel
like these guys will have any trouble picking up the slack and upping the
averages.
Damion James is another talented player who you will see improve by strides this
season with more time in the spotlight. He could take over Durant’s spot on the
wing. James averaged 7.6 points per game as a frosh and is the team’s leading
returning rebounder, averaging 7.2 boards per game last season. We fully expect
him to be a double double machine this season.
Another reason why we shouldn’t expect a big drop off is because the Longhorns
should be better defensively. Last season, Texas allowed its opponents to shoot
better than 40 percent from the field. 6’10’’ center Dexter Pittman will be a
huge reason why the Horns will be better on the defensive end. He has shed
nearly 100 pounds of the 388 frame he came to college with. His size will be a
factor both offensively and defensively.
One thing I didn’t mention about D.J. Augustin before in his stat line is his
ability to dish the rock. He finished fourth in the nation in assists per game
averaging 6.7 as a frosh. This kid is the total package. He’s a great floor
leader who knows when to get his teammates involved and when to create his own
shot.
Because of Texas’ talent level, a Big 12 title is not unthinkable. Likely, this
team is still inexperienced and will struggle in the early going learning how to
play without Durant. But we feel the Longhorns are a definite top-tier Big 12
pick and will be able to do some damage in the NCAA Tourney.
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