Part 3

Big 12 Roundup

Nebraska ran its home winning streak to 20 games and ended Oklahoma's string
of 20 straight victories Saturday in Lincoln.
Nebraska continues to lead the Northern Division with a perfect record, but
Oklahoma fell into a three-way tie with Texas and Texas A&M in the Big 12
South at 4-1.
The most important game this week has Texas A&M playing at Texas Tech. The
Red Raiders have been hard for the Aggies to handle in Lubbock in recent
years.
SOUTHERN DIVISION STANDINGS
        Conference        Season
        W   L   PF    PA     Pct.      W   L    PF     PA     Pct.
Oklahoma    4    1 133     87     .800      7    1  235    127     .875
Texas       4    1 166     61     .800      7    1  304    108     .875
Texas A&M   4    1 113     93     .800      7    1  203    140     .875
Texas Tech  2    3 170   155     .400      4     3  254    199     .571
Oklahoma State  0    4   76   135     .000      2    5  139    175     .286
Baylor      0    5   53   201     .000      2    5    93    217     .286

NORTHERN DIVISION STANDINGS
        Conference        Season
        W   L   PF     PA      Pct.     W    L   PF    PA     Pct.
Nebraska        5    0  193     65   1 .000      9    0   331    99   1.000
Colorado        4    1  103   103     .800       6    2   217  156     .800
Iowa State  3    2  124   100     .600       5     2   200  128    .714
Missouri        2    3  112   163     .400       3    4   165  189     .429
Kansas State    1    4  126   129     .200       3     4   200  135    .429
Kansas      1    4  100   174     .200       2     5   141  225    .286

Last Week's Results
Texas 35, Missouri 16
Nebraska 20, Oklahoma 10
Texas A&M 24, Iowa State 21
Texas Tech 63, Baylor 19
Kansas State 40, Kansas 6
Colorado 22, Oklahoma State 19
This Saturday's Games
Texas at Baylor, 11:30 a.m. (Fox Syndication)
Texas A&M at Texas Tech 1 p.m.
Kansas State at Iowa State 1 p.m.
Missouri at Colorado 2 p.m.
Tulsa at Oklahoma 2 p.m.
Nebraska at Kansas 6 p.m.

2001 Longhorn Schedule, Record (7-1)
                                        Texas  Opp.
Sept. 1 New Mexico State        41      7
Sept. 8 North Carolina          44      14
Sept 22 at Houston          53      26
Sept 29 Texas Tech          42      7
Oct. 6      Oklahoma (Dallas)     3     14
Oct. 13     at Oklahoma State     45    17
Oct. 20     Colorado            41      7
Oct. 27     at Missouri         35      16
Nov. 3          at Baylor
Nov. 10     Kansas
Nov. 23     at Texas A&M

Scoring by Quarters
Texas         59   108  70      87  -   304
Opponents     24    45    7 32  -   108

Buckman Picks Horns

Brad Buckman, a 6-9, 235-pound power forward from Austin Westlake who was
recruited by most of the nation's top programs, picked Texas Tuesday, saying
he thinks the Horns are on the verge of joining the national elite in
basketball.
He chose Texas over North Carolina at the end, but also had considered
Kentucky, UCLA, Missouri and others.
He had said earlier that the lure of the ACC, where basketball reigns
supreme, was very strong and almost pulled him to North Carolina.
But he told me Tuesday, "I've always wanted to go to Texas. This is where my
heart is."
He also said his head turned Texas' way at the end because coach Rick Barnes
has established a consistent winning program and has been wooing and winning
big-time recruits
"After looking at it closely," he said, "I think Texas basketball is really
on the upswing. They've signed two McDonald's All Americans (freshman point
guard T. J. Ford of Fort Bend Willowridge and sophomore forward Brian
Boddicker of Duncanville) in the last two years."
They could make it three in three years because Buckman's stock soared this
summer when he starred in several top AAU tournaments.
Brick Oettinger, publisher of Prep Stars Recruiter's Handbook, was asked who
was the biggest surprise of the summer.
Oettinger said, "In terms of from out of nowhere - not in anybody's top 100
to everybody's top 25 - it would be Brad Buckman. Big forward, very
aggressive and a whole lot of skills - just about as many skills as . . .
anybody in the class. I've got him No. 21 now and he wasn't in my top 100.
Dave Telep, another national recruiting analyst, agreed Buckman is a national
top 25 recruit.
"The reality is that while there are 25 guys with larger names, there
probably aren't 25 better players in the class," Telep said. "He is athletic,
can handle it some, he blocks shots, he shoots to medium-range and he scores
in the post."
Clifton McNeely, the Westlake coach, also says his star's work ethic is off
the chart.
"He's a very gifted player with a lot of talent," McNeely said, "but the best
thing about him is his strong heart and work ethic. I don't think you could
find anyone who works harder than he does." McNeely also said he thinks
Buckman "is the best player in Texas."
There are some guards in the Dallas area who ranked higher nationally,
including Bracy Wright of The Colony, who chose Indiana, Daniel Horton of
Cedar Hill, who picked Michigan, and Bryan Hopkins of Dallas Lincoln, who
committed to SMU.
The Longhorns recruited all three of those star guards, but lost out on them
at the end.
Buckman averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks for Westlake as a
junior. And he's the kind of blue-collar inside player Barnes loves.
McNeely said Buckman can play a power game inside and shoot from 3-point
range.
Asked to compare him to Luke Axtell and Chris Mihm, two other Westlake
players he coached who played at UT, he said, "He has the physical presence
of Mihm and is a lot stronger coming out of high school, and he has the range
of Luke."
He is the first recruit to commit to Texas for the early signing period next
month.
Barnes and his assistants are recruiting several other players, most of them
in other states, and hope to sign a  sharp shooting guard and a wing.
Buckman's  father, Brent, played on two national championship golf teams at
UT.

Basketball Team Has New Look

The Longhorn basketball team will have a new look this season with the
addition of heralded point guard T. J. Ford, who led Fort Bend Willowridge to
back-to-back Class 5A state titles.
When the season starts next month, Ford will be called upon to speed up the
Horns' offense and also create more opportunities for the team's inside
players with his lightning-quick passes.
Coach Rick Barnes is hoping Ford's creativity in the half-court offense will
improve the scoring punch of center James Thomas, who averaged 7 points and
6.5 rebounds a game last year.
Ford also should be able to provide better shooting opportunities for senior
forward Chris Owens, sophomore wings Brandon Mouton and Royal Ivey, and 6-9
forward Brian Boddicker.
Barnes had to operate without a true point guard last year. Fredie Williams,
Ivey and shooting guard Darren Kelly took turns at the point.
Barnes and the Horns coped with it admirably, going 25-9 overall and 12-4 in
the tough Big 12, but they shot only 41.2 percent from the field and had 88
more turnovers than assists. Ford should help raise the former and lower the
latter.
They also lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Temple, and
Barnes hopes Ford will be a key to helping the team get farther into the
playoffs this season.
Replacing departed wing Maurice Evans and Kelley, who combined for 30.8 of
UT's 70.5 per-game scoring average, creates scoring opportunities for other
shooters. Now Barnes just needs some of them to seize that opportunity.
He expects Mouton and Ivey to step up there. Sydmill Harris, a 6-6 freshman
from The Netherlands, has been a consistent shooter in pre-season workouts.
Owens was a star in the World University Games during the summer and is
expected to be one of the top players in the Big 12, and a more dependable
scoring threat.
"Ever since last year, the Temple game, it started coming together," Owens
said. "It clicked. I didn't do what I wanted to do and I knew I had the
ability. Now I have the mental concentration."

UT Women Looking Sharp

Coach Jody Conradt's Longhorn women's basketball team is picked to finish in
the middle of the Big 12 pack, but early practices and stiff competition at
several positons indicate it might be a lot better than that.
The Longhorns were looking good early last season before losing
center-forward Annissa Hastings and guardTai Dillard to knee injuries.
Hastings and Dillard are hale and hearty once again, but equally important is
the fact that the Horns' heralded recruiting class is living up to its  hype.
Stacy Stephens, a 6-1 sophomore, returns as the starting center, and 6-2
senior Tracy Cook and the 6-1 Hastings can back her up and also play power
forward.
Jody Bell, a 6-2 freshman from Canada, and 6-1 freshman Mercedes Williams
also are looking good at power forward.
Two freshmen - 6-3 Heather Schreiber, the high school player of the year in
Texas last year, and 6-2 Kala Bowers, last year's high school player of the
year in Oklahoma - are battling for the small forward job (it shows you are
on the right track when you can call 6-3 and 6-2 women small forwards).
Hastings is so versatile that she probably will see action at all three
inside positions.
Kenya Larkin returns as the point guard and other guards who will see a lot
of action include sophomore Kaira White, who has been looking great in
practice, plus Dillard and freshman CoCo Reed.
Alisha Sare and Asha Hill are other guards who could figure into the rotation.
RECRUITING NOTES: LaToya Davis, 6-2, of Houston South Houston, picked Texas
Tech over Texas last week. Nichelle Roberts, a 6-1 center-forward who teamED
with Mercedes Williams to lead Spring Westfield deep into the state playoffs
last year, is the only remaining uncommitted blue chipper and the Longhorns
have a great chance to sign her.

No. 10 Horns Win Soccer Title

The No. 10 Texas women's soccer team clinched its first Big 12 Conference
title Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Oklahoma.
The Longhorns are 11-3 overall and 9-0 in the Big 12 and have one regular
season match remaining against Texas A&M.
Coach Chris Petrucelli, in his third year at the helm, said, "This is a huge
step for us. It's going to help us in recruiting. It's going to help us in
marketing. And it's going to help our confidence."
Freshman forward Kelly Wilson scored Texas' third goal Sunday, giving her 11
for the season and tying her with Carol Finch for the season record. Finch
set the record in 1996.
Lerrin Biggers scored Texas' first goal and Kylee Wosnuk got the second one.

Next Issue November 5

The next issue will be e-mailed on November 5,  and will cover the Baylor
game and preview the last home game of the season against Kansas
I'll also have a lot of recruiting news, including my updated list of the top
prospects.
I'll also have reports on other Longhorn sports teams.

Subscription Form
I want to subscribe. I am enclosing $45 for the next year, which will include
26 issues.  A two-year subscription is $85. For a one-year subscription via
E-Mail, send $35.

Name

Street Address or Box Number or E-Mail Address

City, State and Zip Code
Remit to True Orange, P O Box 26530, Austin, TX 78755
Foreign Rates Available on Request.    Phone  512-795-8536
E-Mail Address: truorange@aol.com

Gift Subscription Form
I want to give a gift subscription to  True Orange. I am enclosing $45.
Please send an appropriate gift card. For a gift subscription via E-Mail,
send $35.

Name of Person Receiving Gift

Street Address or Box Number or E-Mail Address

City, State and Zip Code

Your Name