Texas Basketball: Could This Be a National Championship Season for Longhorns?

With today's stunning victory in Lawrence, it's a reasonable question to ask. Could this be the year that the Texas Longhorns take home their first basketball national championship?

The team's consistent performances against traditional national powers like Michigan State, North Carolina, Kansas and Connecticut suggest that this could be the case.

Here are a few reasons why this year's Longhorn squad could be a team to beat come March Madness:

Chemistry

Unlike the 2009-2010 Texas team, this year's team appears to have a nicely established chemistry, playing unselfishly and with the desire to put the team first instead of individual statistics. Every game a new player steps up and has an unexpected performance, helping lead the team to victory. In today's game against Kansas, it was J'Covan Brown. In other games it's been Gary Johnson, Corey Joseph or Tristan Thompson.

The 2009 Longhorns' monumental collapse came from a domino effect. When the first few conference losses occurred, things just continued to snowball and get worse. 

The 2010 Longhorns had a miserable performance in Los Angeles against USC, but to date, this has been the only tough night they have had so far. Losses to both Connecticut and Pittsburgh were hard-fought and came down to the wire. Team chemistry helps players pull together and pick up each other's slack when a rough night comes around. This year's Longhorn team has it. It's noticeable.

Great Leadership

Leadership comes in different packages. Sometimes it's the point guard that controls the offense and helps the team get great looks during a game, controlling the flow. Other times it's the big guy that establishes himself in the paint early on and exerts his will on the opponent.

Texas has enjoyed both types of leadership so far in the early going. Corey Joseph, Dogus Balbay and J'Covan Brown have shown a unique ability to control the pace of the game depending on what the team's strengths will be that given night. When Brown and Joseph have needed to score, they have. When Balbay has needed to guard with tenacity, he has.

Tristan Thompson and Gary Johnson have done the same on the blocks. Thompson has shown an uncanny poise and confidence for a young big guy, at times taking over games with his slick post moves and strength under the basket. Johnson's midrange jumper and smart decision-making have made huge strides since his arrival in Austin as a skinny but raw freshman a few years ago.

Jordan Hamilton's game has spoken for itself. He has become one of the most consistent and explosive scorers in the country, and could likely find himself playing on the professional hardwood come next fall.

Could the 2010-2011 Longhorns bring home the school's first national championship in basketball?

It seems much more likely after today's historic win in Lawrence.