It's one thing to talk about all the talent that Texas coach Chris Beard has gathered in Austin. Seeing it live is another matter.

In Monday's exhibition game against Texas Lutheran Church, the five players who Beard started last season were double-digit scorers. 

Veterans Andrew Jones (14.6 points per game) and Courtney Lamy (12.2 points) and transfers to Marcus Carr (19.4 points), Christian Bishop (11.0 points) and Timmy Allen (17.2 points) Points) will make any opponent sweat. This is enough to surpass the firepower of Level III opponents.

Texas, ranked fifth, looks like a machine at the Irving Center with a score of 96-33. 

"A few weeks ago, I was nervous," said Texas Lutheran guard Xavier Phillips, a product of Dripping Springs. "But like my dad just told me, they tie shoelaces in the same way as you, but at a higher level."

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There are more than five scorers in these corners. Beard's first substitute was UT veteran Jase Febres, who made a career-high 39.2% from three-pointers last season. The next substitute is a transfer to Tre Mitchell, who averaged 18.8 points per game at the University of Massachusetts last season.

Does someone need to increase the defensive intensity? Here comes the Swiss army knife Brock Cunningham. Need to change the guard rhythm? Devin Askew, who spent last season in Kentucky, is also on the list. Even the rookie Jay Valentineson showed his defensive and dunk ability. 

"Anyone you pick on the roster is capable of leading this team," Mitchell said. "It will also make us special because everyone is willing to lead and everyone is willing to follow."

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It is difficult to put too much stock in the statistics generated against powerful level III opponents. Dylan Disu, who was a double-digit scorer at Vanderbilt University last season, did not even participate in the game due to a knee injury. But the numbers are overwhelming. 

Mitchell scored 7 of 11 shots and scored a team-high 16 points. Allen scored 15 points on 6 of 7 shots. Tyson (13 points, 6 of 9 shots), Lamy (12 points, 6 of 10 shots) and Aschu (9 points, 4 assists) all have outstanding performances. 

"In my opinion, if you coach basketball at the University of Texas, you must have depth, you must have a great roster, you must have some NBA players," Beard said. "You need some tough guys, some selfless people. As I said before, we are proud of our first team on the court."

Texas shot 57.1% and caused 25 turnovers. The way Beard read the data sheet, Horn had 21 assists and 4 turnovers, and won the rebounding game 38-28.

Then Beard talked about free throws. The coach once again made it clear that he was already considering March. He built this lineup to win big prizes, not just to participate in the NCAA tournament or win one or two games. Beard wanted to win the whole thing.

"I don't like free throws tonight," Beard said. "Ten to ten, I like this percentage. I'm not a math major, but I think it's good. But I don't like to try 10 times. 

"We must reach the free throw line," he added to emphasize. "Unless you make free throws, you can't win six games in three weekends. Unless you get there, you can't free throws."

This game, just like it, is full of beard marks. He counted the number of defensive "kills" made by horns. "Kills" are three defensive stations. If Texas has 7 kills, which is basically 21 stops in the entire game, "your defense is very good," Beard said.

The Texas team made three consecutive turnovers in the first three minutes. Then there was another "kill" because Mitchell scored on the other end and Fabrice hit an open three-pointer. Mitchell scored twice in the back-to-back game, and the Horns led 22-8.

Beard hopes that Horns will always be "ready." Put your hands and feet in the right place to catch and shoot the ball in the blink of an eye. "Everyone on our list will be a three-point shooter," Beard said. "We are confident that we will always have five people present. This will be a threat from the three-point line."

Askew buried a three-pointer from the left. Fabrece made another three-pointer from the right. Then, after an open error, Fabrice gave Allen an air relay dunk. At that time, it was 43-15.

At the beginning of the second half, Horne made eight of nine shots, leading by 40 points with 14 minutes left. 

The former Mike Wacker of Texas could do nothing. As the coach of Bulldogs, Wacker wears his T-ring, but he knows that his players are insufficient.

"Even in a war, you can surrender," said Wacker, a 1985 All Southwestern League forward. "We cannot surrender, nor did we surrender. I am really proud of our players."

Beard spent the entire night paying tribute to Wacker and his game day at UT. The current Longhorns wear a warm-up shirt with WACKER's name printed on the back, with the number 44 jersey on the back. Ask him about Beard, Wacker is a faucet you can't turn off. 

"Texans makes sense to coach in Texas," Wacker said of Beard who grew up in Irving.

The new Texas coach also has some differences. After the game, Beard called all UT students out of the 2,394 students to take a group photo on the floor.

Admission is free on Mondays. The season opener against the Houston Baptist Church on November 9th was the first opportunity to see whether Beard’s visit to the West Campus, the Greek house, and the enjoyment on campus would bring benefits.

If there are any signs on Monday, the team he has assembled is worth seeing.

"The student part tonight is certainly a good start," Beard said. "We are looking forward to building this thing. Tonight is a beginning, and we will finish it here."

Contact Brian Davis by phone or text message at 512-445-3957. Email bdavis@statesman.com or @BDavisAAS.