Texas Basketball: Is This the Best Longhorns Hoops Team Ever?

After watching Texas dismantle Texas A&M last night for the second time this season, I started to think "How good is this team?"

University of Texas men's basketball is experiencing its most successful era ever under current coach Rick Barnes.

Under his leadership, the Longhorns have won more than 72 percent of their games (overall and in the Big 12),

UT has made it to the NCAA Tournament in all 12 of his years in Austin.

And Texas has played in one of its three Final Fours (the other two were in 1943 and 1947) during his time leading the program.

This year's team is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation. The question rises: Is this the best UT basketball team ever?

A few factors to consider...

To answer "Yes, this is the best," this team will have to surpass some awfully good squads over the last decade, such as the following:

2002-03: Played in the Final Four; Overall record - 26-7; Finished the season ranked third in ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

2005-06: Made it to the Elite Eight; Overall record: School-best 30-7; Big 12 Co-Champions.

2007-08: Made it to the Elite Eight; Overall record: New school-best 31-7; Big 12 Co-Champions.

To answer "Yes," this team will have to get it done without a superstar leading the way, such as:

T.J. Ford: (2001-03) Consensus First Team All-American; 2003 National Player of the Year (Naismith and Wooden Awards)

LaMarcus Aldridge: (2004-06) First Team All-Big 12 selection; Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year; second pick overall in the 2006 NBA Draft

Kevin Durant: (2007) Unanimous 2007 National Player of the Year (seven awards); 2007 unanimous First Team All-American forward; Big 12 Player of the Year; second pick overall in the 2007 NBA Draft

To answer "Yes," this team will have to overcome a few of its flaws:

Free Throw Shooting: Currently shooting 64.8 percent from the foul line. Will freshman forward Tristan Thompson have to be removed from the end of close games because he shoots less than 50 percent on free throws?

Play Against Physical Opponents: The Longhorns three losses (Pitt, USC and UConn) have come against tough teams that play a physical brand of ball. While this Texas team has both length and size, do they need to improve when they lineup against someone who matches their physicality?

No True Go-To Guy: On previous teams, when you needed a bucket, you got the ball to Ford, Aldridge, Durant, Augustin, etc. Who will the team look to with confidence when a last shot needs to be taken? Jordan Hamilton? Gary Johnson? Corey Joseph? J'Covan Brown? Lots of options, but who is "that guy"?

Obviously, this team is good, but that's what everyone thought last year too.

That team went from 17-0 and ranked No. 1 to 24-10 and un-ranked. The Horns bottomed out with an early Big 12 tournament exit and a disappointing first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Wake Forest.

One example that would indicate that Texas isn't likely to implode in a similar fashion this year is their recent victory over Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse.

They were down 12 points at half, getting ready to be chased out of the Jayhawks' gym, when all of a sudden the Longhorns came to life. With J'Covan Brown leading the charge, they not only closed the gap and tied the game, but UT went on to win by 11, ending Kansas' 69-game home win streak. 

The Longhorns can't just mail it in, especially with four remaining Big 12 road games (at OU, Nebraska, Colorado and Baylor), and OSU and K-State still to come at home.

After the game last night, A&M coach, Mark Turgeon said this: "I told Rick if they keep improving and stay healthy they can win a national championship. I haven't said that about many teams. I said that about Kansas the year they won it. I've been doing this 24 years and I haven't seen many teams as good as Texas."

This could be Barnes' best Longhorn team, and, with improvement, they could play for the championship in Houston on the first Monday in April.