If the month of March comes in like a lion, and out like a lamb, then the college basketball season typically does the opposite. It sneaks up, almost unannounced, offering the utilitarian but scratchy gift of wool along with several tasty cuts of meat.
For Shaka Smart and the Texas Longhorns, we start with wool only. Texas faces Eastern Illinois, out of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers had a 12-19 record last season, and Coach Jay Spoonhour turns over a significant portion of his roster this year. This combination suggests that the Panthers are in for something of a long season, but I guess we will have a better feel for that after the game tonight.