There’s not much point in writing game stories once the calendar reaches March and the mainstream media covers the tournament from every angle imaginable. But while Joseph Duarte of the Chronicle and Kirk Bohls of the Statesman both focused on Dexter Pittman‘s big game and Pat Forde lamented the lack of upsets in Little Rock, I’ve got just a few notes from behind the Texas bench.

Much was made of the Barnes/Arkansas flap, and there were even t-shirts in the crowd referencing the interview. (Although one must wonder why Razorback fans would make burnt orange shirts with Barnes’ quote and an upside-down Longhorn on them.) But the quick start from Texas really killed any chance the crowd had to make a difference. By the time it was 9-0, the Razorback fans had mostly given up, and just a few minutes into the second half the arena had already begun to clear.

That’s not to say that the Arkansas fans didn’t get any chance to boo lustily. When the Texas band walked onto the court during the last few minutes of the St. Mary’s/Miami game, the boos rained down. And when the Longhorns ran out for pre-game warm-ups, it was even louder. But the most vitriol was saved for Barnes himself, who acted like he was cowering behind a police officer when the crowd started its razzing. Always the jester, Coach Barnes threw up his hands in mock confusion when his pre-game introduction induced another round of jeers.

Perhaps the most amusing part of the methodical dismantling of Austin Peay was the repeated attempts by Governor guards to drive the lane, only to stop on a dime when running into Connor Atchley or Pittman. Most often, APSU turned the ball back around and settled for poor looks outside, although the Longhorn bigs did combine for six blocks when the Govs decided to risk things in the lane. The Texas defense was so stifling on Friday that they held APSU to only 25% shooting in the first half and an abysmal 2-of-12 from behind the arc in the second.

While it’s tough to say that the Governors had much of a chance yesterday, it should be noted that key player Todd Babington was seen quite a few times coughing like a 40-year smoker. We’re not sure exactly what kind of bug Babington was trying to play through, but it’s reasonable to think it may have affected his game. Not that a healthy Babington would have singlehandedly made up a 20-point deficit, but it’s only fair to point out.

There’s still quite a few hours of basketball left on this Saturday, so we’ve got to get back to the River Market in downtown Little Rock to watch the nightcaps. Check back late, late tonight for your pre-game look at the Miami Hurricanes.