Texas Basketball: Longhorns Have Glaring Holes to Fix Before Kentucky Clash

The Texas Longhorns survived their first major test of the season Sunday by taking down UConn on a game-winning three-pointer from Jonathan Holmes. 

Despite the celebration after the final buzzer sounded, Texas still has plenty of issues to fix if it wants to defeat No. 1 Kentucky on Friday in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge. There is no doubt the Longhorns have the size to deal with the Wildcats in the paint, but that is the least of the team's concerns heading into the game at Rupp Arena. 

The concern stems from a brutal second-half performance in Storrs on Sunday, which was caused by stingy defense and awful shooting. 

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Instead of using an 8-3 run to end the first half as a springboard to a major victory, the Longhorns struggled to fight off the defending national champion until Holmes' game-winning shot from the left wing. 

Throughout the second half, there were plenty of long stretches in which Texas failed to score a basket. Most of the bad shots taken by the Longhorns were from outside on quick possessions. 

With Isaiah Taylor out until the start of conference play, the Longhorns do not have a strong floor general to lead the way in close games. Javan Felix carries a good amount of experience with him, but he was one of the main culprits of the missed early shots in the second half. NBC Sports' Twitter feed quoted Taylor on his return:

During the 24-point second half, the Longhorns made just six field goals, two of which came from Holmes beyond the arc. Felix contributed four points, while Kendal Yancy and Cameron Ridley had the other field goals. 

Felix did start the second half on a high note with two assists and a basket, but during the crucial stretch of the game, he became vulnerable in the backcourt. 

On two possessions during their dry spell, the Longhorns opted to take a quick shot instead of setting up a play that could have had a higher success rate. 

After UConn's Ryan Boatright made two free throws with 6:12 remaining in the game, the Longhorns' deficit was extended to six. Instead of working the ball around the court for a high-percentage shot, Holmes missed a shot 13 seconds later. 

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Another 13-second possession occurred the next time the Longhorns took the ball on offense. Down by five, Texas had a golden opportunity to create some positive momentum after a Sam Cassell Jr. turnover. Instead of threatening the Huskies by cutting the lead, Felix turned the ball over 13 seconds into the possession. 

The Longhorns did not score another point until the 2:44 mark, when Myles Turner hit a pair of free throws. In the time between Ridley's free throw with 5:58 to go and Turner's two points, the Longhorns committed a litany of mistakes. 

On top of Felix's turnover, Yancy made an error in the backcourt which led to UConn gaining possession. What is even more concerning about that over-three-minute span is the lack of shots from the field. Only one shot was taken during that span compared to UConn's four. 

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The host Huskies did not capitalize on any of their shots in that crucial span, but a team like Kentucky most likely will. If Texas fails to snatch control of the game late in the second half, the final score in Lexington could be ugly. 

The most concerning stats from the ugly road win at Gampel Pavilion were the team's field-goal percentage (37) and offensive rebounds (eight). 

If the Longhorns shoot 17-of-46 from the field and only pull down eight offensive rebounds against Kentucky, they are in for a long night at Rupp Arena. If you dig deeper into the box score, you will notice the lack of shots from Ridley, who could end up being Texas' greatest asset Friday night. 

In 17 minutes, Ridley was 1-of-3 from the field with five points and zero rebounds. That's right, the most imposing figure in the frontcourt for the Longhorns did not have a single rebound Sunday afternoon. 

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Regardless of the circumstances surrounding his minutes, there is no way the big center should have left the court without a rebound. For Texas to even come close to taking down Kentucky, he has to turn into more of a dominant force down low. 

Despite all of the negative aspects of Texas' win in Storrs, there were a few positives from the 55-54 victory that led us to believe the Longhorns could contend with the top team in the nation. 

Led by stud freshman Myles Turner, the Longhorns had eight blocks in the frontcourt. Turner had five rejections, while Ridley, Holmes and Prince Ibeh all had one each. 

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There is no doubt the Longhorns have the frontcourt depth to put up a fight against Kentucky, but they must get their hands on the ball in the paint to take the Wildcats out of a rhythm. 

Another promising stat that may not earn a ton of attention is the fouls committed by Rick Barnes' team. After 40 minutes of play, Texas had just 14 fouls, seven of which were earned by Turner and Connor Lammert. 

If the entire Texas squad can stay disciplined and remain out of foul trouble, it is possible that an upset may occur. 

If the Longhorns do fix their glaring issues from Sunday's victory before Friday's trip to Lexington, we could witness one of the best games of the young season. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

All statistics obtained from ESPN.com.