Sean Miller's offense doesn't need to be fast when it's this efficient

Prior to the start of the 2025-26 season, Inside Texas believed Sean Miller‘s first-year offense would push the pace and get opponents on their heels. After all, Miller’s offenses at Xavier during his second stint in Cincinnati all had KenPom adjusted tempo ratings of at least 69.2. That 69.2 number came during his final season leading the Musketeers, while the two previous campaigns saw his teams post adjusted tempo numbers of 70.5 and 71.2, respectively.

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Adjusted tempo is Ken Pomeroy’s opponent adjusted measure of possessions per 40 minutes. The teams that truly want to run, run, and run some more prefer to have over 72 possessions per game. This year, Alabama leads the nation in KenPom’s adjusted tempo with a rating of 74.0.

While tempo has been a key part of Miller’s offenses both at Arizona and then in his second Xavier run, this year’s Longhorns team has not been big on pushing the pace. Texas ranks No. 213 in adjusted tempo with a mark of 66.9.

Yet the Longhorns are No. 6 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency, which is points scored per 100 possessions adjusted per opponent. Texas’ number in that statistic is 126.3, ahead of 1-seed contenders Arizona, Duke, and Houston.

Even without a frantic pace, the Longhorns are operating with an offensive efficiency the program hasn’t seen in almost 20 years. The last time Texas finished top 10 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency was 2008 when it ended up third. The program’s last top-15 finish was in 2023.

The fact that Texas is scoring with purpose on the offensive end despite lower adjusted possession totals is a testament to the development of the offense under Miller in year one. That includes macro-level familiarity as well as individual development.

It’s also right where Miller wants his team at the current juncture.

“I think we have to settle into what’s best for this year’s team,” Miller said Monday. “It takes a little bit of time to get to that. Innately, we want to play fast. We want to play with great pace. I also think you have to bring out the best in the qualities of your team and your players. We want to strike in transition. We want to push it, but I think if we try to speed up that could be to our detriment.”

Is something holding the Longhorns back from operating faster? Is it that Texas is running an eight-man rotation while teams like Purdue and Alabama regularly get nine to 10 players onto the floor in a game? Possibly, but that hasn’t stopped Illinois from leading the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency with a seven-man setup during Andrej Stojakovic‘s recent bout with injury.

Is it defense? Texas is one of two teams in the top 10 of adjusted offensive efficiency ranked No. 56 or worse in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Longhorns are No. 92 and the Auburn Tigers are No. 93. Auburn is statistically identical to Texas in adjusted tempo but currently has KenPom’s toughest schedule in the nation while Texas’ is No. 31. Texas is 16-9 (7-5 SEC) while Auburn is 14-11 (5-7 SEC) under first-year head coach Steven Pearl.

Is it fouling? Texas commits 19.4 fouls per game which has the Horns at No. 318 in the nation. Longhorn opponents shoot 24.2 free throws per game, a number that ranks No. 340 in the country. Teams don’t want to be ranked in the 300s of either metric. That said, the Longhorns attempt 26.7 free throws per contest and are No. 8 in that category. Teams like Texas that shoot 75.3% at the line don’t mind being near the top in that area.

Is it a preference?

It’s likely all of the above.

“I think where we’re most efficient is where we are right now,” Miller said.

Miller admitted Monday that this offense, despite its strong efficiency numbers, looks different compared to some of his other offenses at Arizona and Xavier. The Longhorns only log 12.8 assists per game, which ranks them in the high 200s nationally. Texas also gets to the line as much as any team in the nation.

It is also adept at offensive rebounding thanks to Matas Vokietaitis and Dailyn Swain. Texas pulls down 12.7 offensive boards per game, which ranks in the top 60. In addition, teams aren’t getting many second chances at points from the field thanks to Texas’ 39.1 total rebound per game.

For Texas, bumping up the pace would likely mean bumping up opponents’ opportunities. While more bites at the apple on offense for a team with a top-25 true shooting percentage of 60% would make sense, Miller sees no benefit in giving the other team similar chances. After all, Miller’s major emphasis for his team during the Longhorns’ midweek bye was defensive development. Getting stops and defending the three-point line were seen as critical for the Longhorns’ chances.

The numbers bear out Miller’s strategy. During his team’s four-game win streak, Texas has had possession totals of 63, 65, 62, and 63. Only one opponent in South Carolina surpassed 70 points.

Texas has been remarkably efficient on offense. As he approaches the month of March, Miller believes that his team’s offensive efficiency has been paired with the proper amount of opportunities per game on both ends. Despite a history that features fast offenses, Miller is content with the tempo with which his team currently operates.