Bohls: At least we'll know where Texas men's basketball stands early next season

While I got ya, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:

1. Rodney Terry's short, but critical, to-do list

Rodney Terry full speed ahead: Texas' new head basketball coach continues to do exit meetings with his players as he tries to solidify his staff. He may need a point guard — sophomore Tyrese Hunter is testing the NBA draft waters, as he should, though he could still return next season. … Next year's schedule has yet to be announced, but the Longhorns will open with a home game on a Monday night on Nov. 6. One source said Texas will still play one game in Gregory Gym as Chris Beard initiated (an excellent idea); most likely play a nonconference game in Houston (besides the Cougars), perhaps against LSU; and will not play Beard's Ole Miss team, which would be an instant sellout. Terry was primarily in charge of scheduling under Beard's watch. ... The Big 12-SEC Challenge is dead, but the dates of next year's Big 12-Big East series are expected to be announced Thursday. In addition with four newcomers joining the Big 12, I could see East-West divisions where a team plays a round-robin slate against the other six in its group and seven single games out of division for 19 league games. No way they'd play an entire round-robin with 26 Big 12 games. ... I love that Texas may play UConn in the Empire Classic at the Garden this November in a four-team field also including Indiana and Louisville. The Longhorns will play two of the other three, hopefully the Huskies in the tournament final if both win so we can further imagine how a matchup between the two would have gone on Monday. I think Texas, with a healthy Dylan Disu, would have given UConn a better game than either Miami or San Diego State.

Did you know Texas was one of just three teams ranked in kenpom.com's top 15 in both offensive and defensive efficiency? The other two were the Huskies and Houston. … I can see Danny Hurley becoming the new face of college basketball. The flamboyant, candid and colorful UConn coach can be a forceful coach for change and part of a new wave of young coaches assuming the reins of the game with the recent departures of Coach K, Roy Williams, Jay Wright and Jim Boeheim although I have no idea why Boeheim would retire so young at 78. Others are Alabama’s Nate Oats, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, FAU’s Dusty May and Kansas State’s Jerome Tang. There’s no reason Terry can’t insert his name in there although the 55-year-old Texan might not be a young buck anymore.

2. The NCAA times, they are a'changing

More like March Chaos: I truly think we can expect this kind of college basketball chaos in March for the rest of time. It’s no coincidence that North Carolina was a preseason No. 1 and didn’t even make the tournament and that UConn whipped San Diego State for the national championship and neither was a Top 25 team in November. UConn had some very long odds of 60-1 to win it all. But the odds for the Huskies repeating will be shorter because they have signed three ESPN top 100 recruits in a No. 4 national class. … Tell me again why the Pac-12 hasn’t already invited San Diego State to join? (Maybe the Big 12 should invite the Aztecs. There are worse options.) The school has been in the NCAA Tournament 15 times, including four of the last five tourneys. And the basketball and football teams have compiled a 452-160 record for a .739 winning percentage since the start of the 2009-10 season and ranks No. 1 in the nation on that list ahead of No. 2 Ohio State, Oregon, Duke and Michigan State. Texas' two sports won a combined 419 games over that same span.

Was very cool to be at NRG Stadium to hear NASA astronaut and former Cal State Fullerton track athlete Tracy Dyson sing the national anthem. … I’m opposed to those who are urging big-time expansion from the current 68-team field to a bracket with 96 teams. That’s way too many. The selection committee just needs to do more homework and be more open-minded to mid-majors although Aztecs coach Brian Dutcher told me in Houston that “I don’t think we’re a mid-major. I think we are a high major.” Maybe labels will go away over time. I’d be on board with modest increase in the field to maybe four or eight additional play-in teams before the actual tournament begins. Raise the number to 72 or 76 or maybe even 80 if you must and stage these play-in games at sites all around the country on Tuesday and Wednesday instead of just four teams in Dayton.

3. Mighty mighty Mulkey

Girl power: Vic Schaefer tells me his women will host UConn and Louisiana Tech, go to Arizona, and play in another Virgin Islands tourney with North Carolina State, Kentucky and South Florida. ... I know UConn and San Diego State wanted to play a game to make the women hoopsters proud. They might have failed on that level from a standpoint of entertainment value if only because UConn was too dominant. "I think what you're seeing is a culmination of the growth of our sport and the players, their skill sets and their personalities," Schaefer said of the state of the women's game. "The game is played with more pace at our level. It's a game played below the rim with precision. As the players have gotten better, so has the coaching and the commitment by more and more schools." … I know the UConn women have 11 titles and Tennessee eight, but I could make a case that Kim Mulkey is the best women’s basketball coach of all time if only because she’s built and won four national titles at two different schools — the only women's coach to do so — and did it in Waco in Year 5 and in Baton Rouge in just her second year. What a feat. In 23 seasons, she's won 21 or more games every year with 30 wins or more 11 times and once a perfect 40-0. Yes, she’s polarizing and outlandish and over the top. But she’s great for the game, as good as controlling a game as any coach of any gender, intimidates refs far and wide and makes her players better. I can only imagine how many rings she’d accumulate had she been at powerhouses like Tennessee or Stanford. That is not to diminish the likes of Pat Summitt or Tara VanDerveer. But I also think it’s so much harder these days with so many good to great teams. Heck, Louisville was awesome. Iowa and LSU clearly stole the show and the women’s Final Four had more star power than the men’s. Just incredible that the women’s championship game drew 9.9 million, which was more than the average that last season’s Thursday Night Football NFL games attracted. Women’s basketball has never been in a better place. Same for softball, which has skyrocketed in attention.

I’m glad the women have resisted the suggestion to hold the two Final Fours together in the same city. The women’s tournament can and should stand on its own. … That was some really bad and unnecessarily intrusive officiating in the women’s final. Oh, and this has always bugged me. Why does a technical count as a personal foul. That’s entirely too punitive. Aren’t free throws enough? … As for the controversy of taunting by LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, I’m not a fan of taunting at all, but it sure added to the exposure of the Final Four. We all know racism is part of the equation. But taunting is part of the game. Clark, for her part, said she had no objection to Reese’s antics, so neither should we. Let’s just move on and stop with the outrage. … I’m really hoping we see an LSU-Iowa rematch in a regular-season non-conference game, maybe even on an aircraft carrier, and I’d be good with an Iowa-Texas game as well. OK, Vic?

4. More madness for April, please

A later NCAA Tournament: College basketball ended on April 3. But I’d be down with a later date for the final weekend. I still wish the start of the season would be pushed ahead to Jan. 1 or even Dec. 15 because the sport doesn’t get the attention it deserves the first six weeks, if not longer, because of the draw and power of college football. I don’t see anything wrong with having the postseason finish up in late April if we have to or even early May, for that matter. I agree that April Anxiety doesn’t have the same ring to it as March Madness, but a later tournament can still provide May Madness. One other deterrent to a later schedule is CBS will never give up the Masters in early April although what’s wrong with Turner and TNT showing the first two rounds of the tournament before CBS swoops in?

5. A shining moment for Jim Nantz

Goodbye, friend: A sad farewell to Jim Nantz, who wrapped up his college basketball duties after his 32nd and final Final Four. He received an avalanche of well-deserved attaboys in his college town of Houston and will be missed, although he will retain his Masters broadcasts. I’d argue Nantz, 63, is in the top five of all national television sportscasters because he’s so versatile, so knowledgeable, so balanced and so smooth. My top five are Vin Scully, Verne Lundquist, Nantz, Brent Musburger and the master of minimalism Ray Scott. … My pick for the Masters champion is Rory McIlroy edging out Jordan Spieth.

6. An NFL draft dark horse

This and that: Was listening to Sirius radio on the way back from Houston. Really enjoyed Kris Budden and Sean Farnham discuss college basketball, Sweet 16 parties for daughters and next year’s top basketball teams. … Also heard one Sirius talker rave about what a steal one NFL team might make if it lands Texas running back Roschon Johnson, whom he said “may be the most underrated running back in this draft.” He cited Johnson’s average of 4-plus yard average after contact, the less wear and tear he has than Bijan Robinson does and his abilities as a receiver. Things we all know. But he failed to mention how solid a special teams player Johnson is and can be. Also labeled him “a dark-horse option.” Johnson could turn into the next Austin Ekeler. ... Not a big fan of Will Levis, but I think Quentin Johnston is a can't-miss. ... I'm still thinking the Texans should look hard at taking Alabama linebacker Will Anderson. I'd consider giving up two first-round draft picks to sign Lamar Jackson to an offer sheet. You'd have your quarterback the next five years or more. The strategy worked for the Rams with Matt Stafford, but yes they had Aaron Donald, too.

7. Look to the portal

Odds and end zones: Did you see former Westlake star Will Baker is in the transfer portal again and wanting to leave Nevada? Could he return to Texas? Terry needs some bigs, but Baker’s never been a banger. Surprised to see Baylor’s LJ Cryer in the portal along with 872 others. … I’m waiting for a parent to name his kid Goliath. Would clean up in NIL deals.

8. Where have you gone, John Harris?

Scattershooting: While wondering whatever happened to former Longhorns wide receiver John Harris. ... Caught up with Dennis Franchione and I’m glad to report his cancer is in remission. He moved to Sun City in Georgetown and is working on an as-yet untitled book.

9. No roadside diners ever again ...

On the couch: Watched “Legion,” a very dark movie starring Dennis Quaid about the apocalypse. Thought-provoking film. I’ll never stop at a roadside diner again. Gave it 5 ducks.

They've had enough

Crazy prediction: Tiring of NIL, Mark Few and Bill Self will retire in the next two years.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas men's basketball may play UConn early in a revealing matchup