Marcus Spears Jr. gave his head coach, Sean Miller, some wild insight a couple of weeks ago in New York City: the freshman power forward had never before played in an arena. Miller initially thought Spears was talking about Madison Square Garden or an NBA arena, but the truth was, Spears just meant any big arena. Yet, that didn’t stop Spears and the rest of a heralded 2026 recruiting class from absolutely lighting up the court Monday night in the Longhorns’ 109-59 season-opening win against the Chicago State Cougars.
Freshman Poise That’ll Make You Believe
You heard that right: never played in a big arena before. But Spears, along with the other five members of the fourth-ranked 2026 recruiting class, didn’t just play; they *poised* for real. Miller said their calm in front of a surprisingly loud home crowd at Moody Center was just as critical as the points they racked up. And oh man, did the points come. The score was a ridiculous 109-59, a total domination, with all six freshmen getting minutes. This ain’t no high school exhibition, this is college ball, and these guys looked ready for it, even the one who’s still getting used to the big stage.
The Young Guns Are Already Firing
Spears wasn’t the only one putting on a show. The freshman quartet of Spears, Joe Sterling, Bo Ogden, and Austin Goosby looks like they’re going to be regular contributors all season long. Spears dropped 11 points and grabbed five rebounds. Guard Joe Sterling went off for 14 points, hitting an insane 4-of-6 from downtown. Austin Goosby, who’s going to have a massive role, stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Even Bo Ogden chipped in eight points. Sophomore point guard Isaiah Johnson, already a team leader, summed it up perfectly: these new guys have “OD confidence.” He said, “There’s only so much you can tell them. It’s just going to get in [one ear] and get out. They’re just going to do their thing, they’re ready for the moment.” With Mikey Lewis out for at least another month with an injury, Goosby, Ogden, and Sterling are being asked to do even more, and from what we saw Monday, they’re embracing it. Miller admitted the team is “younger than we want to be or than we need to be,” but he sees the “silver lining” because these three freshman guards are talented, hard-working, and will only improve.
This is just the start, folks. These freshmen are hungry, talented, and showing an incredible amount of confidence right out of the gate. They’re going to get better every day, and with a lineup this young and explosive, it’s gonna be a fun ride watching them grow. Get ready, because these kids are just getting started.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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