Late first-half surge helps push Texas past Eastern Illinois, 71-59

Jaxson Hayes dunks against Eastern IllinoisAUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Longhorns returned to the hardwood to tip off the 2018-19 basketball season on Tuesday evening at the Erwin Center against the Eastern Illinois Panthers and overcame a slow start to pull away late in the second half and cruise to a 71-59 victory.

As promised by head coach Shaka Smart and the players, Texas looked more like Smart’s old VCU teams than any of his first three squads in Austin — the Horns pressed through stretches of the game, harrying the Panthers into 19 turnovers overall, including two 10-second violations and seven steals.

The addition of ball handlers like junior transfer Elijah Mitrou-Long and freshman…