4.01.08
Posted by Ryan Clark at 2:24PM

[1] Memphis Tigers 85, [2] Texas Longhorns 67

Memphis stormed through the South Regional
(Photo credit: David J. Phillip/Associated Press)

After an incredible season including 31 wins, a conference championship, and a point guard on numerous All-American teams, the Texas Longhorns finally met their match in Houston’s Reliant Stadium. Despite making a valiant effort to come back from an 11-point halftime deficit, Rick Barnes’ club was unable to keep up with Memphis’ length, athleticism, and speed in an 85-67 loss.

Texas shot itself in the foot during a first half that saw eight Longhorn turnovers which led to nine Memphis points. Coming into the game, the Longhorns led the country with less than 10 turnovers per game, but found themselves frustrated against a much taller Tiger team that pressured guards beyond the perimeter and doubled over the Texas ball screens.

With the turnovers and poor shooting scuttling the Texas offense for the first twenty minutes, the Longhorns found themselves down 11 points coming out of the locker room to start the second half. But solid defense and a suddenly assertive Damion James brought Texas within five points after a 12-0 run that spanned both halves. With the strongly partisan burnt orange crowd finally coming alive and making noise in the cavernous football arena, Memphis snapped back to reality and rattled off seven points to kill any chances of a Longhorn comeback.

The win and Final Four appearance seemed only fitting for a Memphis team coming off of back-to-back seasons in which they lost in the Elite Eight. The current Tiger squad is nearly a mirror image of last year’s team, with the key change coming in the form of freshman point guard Derrick Rose, a mortal lock for a top three pick in this summer’s NBA draft.

With three other 1-seeds making up the rest of the final four, Memphis will certainly have its work cut out for it next weekend in San Antonio. But after a march through the South Regional in which the Tigers beat both Texas and Michigan State by 18 points, Coach Cal’s team seems to be peaking at just the right time.

We’ll take another look at this historic season of Texas basketball later this week and preview what could be one of the best Final Fours in recent memory. The “Horns in the League” feature should also soon make a comeback, and we’ll follow the coaching carousel and NBA draft early entries as the April 27th deadline approaches.

3.29.08
Posted by Ryan Clark at 4:55AM

Longhorn fans and players were all smiles when the final horn sounded in Reliant Stadium on Friday night, as Texas pulled away late for a 20-point win over the Pac-10’s Stanford Cardinal. A quick glance at the stats showed what many pundits would’ve expected, as D.J. Augustin led the way with 23 points. But were it not for key contributions from a handful of Longhorn reserves, a game that had been a nailbiter with 10 minutes left could’ve had a very different ending.

In Little Rock last Friday, it appeared that Dexter Pittman might be finally coming into his own. And sure, Big Dex’s 10/11 line could be chalked up to facing an extraordinarily undersized Austin Peay sqaud. But tonight he played excellent second-half defense against Brook Lopez, shutting down the future lottery pick that had single-handedly drawn the Cardinal within a point.

While Connor Atchley was often getting worked all the way down to the blocks by the offensive-minded Lopez, Pittman forced the 7-footer to catch the ball further and further away from the lane. With his go-to hook shot suddenly out of the repertoire, Lopez threw up ill-advised jumpers with hands in his face. Frustrated, he didn’t make a basket for the last 13-plus minutes.

Not only was Pittman’s defense key in shutting down the biggest threat on the Stanford roster, it also came at a dire time for the foul-plagued Longhorns. In the midst of the Cardinal comeback, Damion James and Atchley both picked up their third fouls in a span of only eight seconds. Coach Rick Barnes was forced to play Gary Johnson and Pittman with 9:25 still on the clock and the Longhorns only up five. But with the reserves on the floor, Texas didn’t allow Stanford back into the game — they actually extended the lead to 13 points before James returned almost three-and-a-half minutes later.

In the first twenty minutes, it was Clint Chapman who was coming up big off the bench for Texas. The freshman from Canby, Oregon chipped in just four points and two rebounds in seven minutes of play. But his scant statistics don’t represent how incredibly well-timed his hustle was, as Chapman seemed to pop up out of nowhere for the key board or the quick tip.

Against an incredibly athletic Memphis team who can kill on the glass, Texas will need clutch performances like these from their post reserves. We’ll look more at those match-ups throughout the weekend, but the solid bench play is a great sign as the tournament reaches its midpoint.

Penny Hardaway showed up to support his alma mater

With all of the top four seeds on the court in the South region, the stars were out in force at Reliant Stadium. Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway was on hand (sans Lil Penny), while former Longhorns Vince Young and Roger Clemens were in attendance. Pat Riley was in the house for a second straight weekend, having also scouted the Memphis and Texas players in Little Rock. And spotted in a T.J. Ford jersey was Scott Porter, better known as wheelchair-bound QB Jason Street on TV’s Friday Night Lights.

The seating set-up, however, was an absolute disaster. Walking down to our place in Section 104, it was an incredibly surreal feeling to be practically level with the court, yet still have 46 rows of fans and media tables in front of us. I checked out the “club level” during the second half of the doubleheader — the level where Memphis and Texas had their student seats — and was treated to a game that seemed to be played somewhere outside of Harris County. Of course, when considering how ugly Michigan State’s performance was, perhaps it was safer to stay as far away from the carnage as possible.

Texas fans were predictably quiet, even finding it difficult to stand and make noise as Stanford closed the gap in the second half. But when the burnt-orange faithful did decide to make noise, the ridiculous setup killed any kind of energy the building could’ve had. As someone who attended that incredible double-overtime regional final between Michigan State and Kentucky back in 2005, I’ve seen how electric a neutral court can be in the NCAA tournament. The move to this mid-field set-up in football arenas is a horrible, horrible decision, and it’s going to make future regionals and Final Fours feel distant and antiseptic.

We’ll be back tomorrow with some more notes and a quick look at the day’s Elite Eight match-ups. In the meantime, bask in the post-win glory and snap up your tickets for Sunday’s tilt with Memphis. No matter how craptacular the seating is, there’s no reason that arena shouldn’t be bathed in burnt orange with a trip to the Final Four on the line.

3.22.08
Posted by Ryan Clark at 4:14PM

Texas Longhorns 74, Austin Peay Governors 54

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.

3.16.08
Posted by Ryan Clark at 9:20AM

[1] Texas Longhorns 77, [4] Oklahoma Sooners 49

A.J. Abrams torched Oklahoma for 24 points
(Photo credit: Ed Zurga/Associated Press)

We’ve mentioned a few times this weekend how difficult it is to beat the same team three times in one season. But how about going 7-0 against three teams from one state? Or winning six in a row and 11 out of 14 against your hated rival? Apparently it’s nothing but child’s play for the Texas Longhorns, who held the Oklahoma Sooners under fifty points for the second time this year and cruised to a 28-point victory in front of 19,000 disappointed Kansas Jayhawk fans.

The Horns were led by the insanely hot shooting of A.J. Abrams, who knocked down seven three-pointers just a day after going 0-for-5 from behind the arc against Oklahoma State. The diminutive guard finished with 24 points on the day to lead the team, giving him nearly half of OU’s entire output in the game.

The contest was dicey for the first 22 minutes, as the Sooners rode the broad shoulders of Blake Griffin to keep pace with the Longhorns. In the first half alone, he nearly had a double-double — only one more rebound would have done the trick — and had OU in a 36-all tie with 18 minutes to play. But when Abrams lit up, the Texas defense locked down, giving the Sooners no chance as the Longhorns finished the game on a 41-13 run.

The only real negative to come from this game was the early struggle on the defensive glass. Just as against the Cowboys one day prior, Texas let Griffin and the other Sooners pick the offensive glass clean for easy putbacks and longer possessions. The Longhorns simply cannot afford to do that against the quality teams they will be playing over the next three weeks.

Beating OU always gets James fired up
(Photo credit: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press)

There was also one troubling piece of news that came from the sideline rather than the game on the court. Although Gary Johnson was dressed out and walking, he had a large black boot on his right foot. From my vantage point in the corner of the lower level, it looked a lot like the one that Matt Hill has worn throughout his injury troubles. Here’s hoping that Gary will in fact be ready for next weekend’s games.

If he isn’t, Longhorn fans can take solace in the improved play of the Texas big men during this tournament. For a second straight day, Alexis Wangmene turned in a minute-eating performance for Coach Barnes, but this time added the scoring threat. Lex had seven points and four boards in his 14 minutes and looked very impressive in the post. He’s still got a long way to go if he’s going to become a dominant force inside, but the moves are definitely there.

Dexter Pittman also stepped up in Johnson’s absence, absolutely cleaning the glass in his nine minutes of work. Big Dex picked on the Sooners for seven boards and a bucket, even adding a block to round out the stat line. It was very nice to see Pittman be able to play for significant stretches rather than being yanked after a few seconds on the floor. Perhaps this will increase his confidence and also signal a change in the way he’s used down the stretch.

Texas now moves on to face Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament championship game for the third time in the last three years. Game preview will be up in a few hours, along with our 5th-best buzzer beater in NCAA tournament history.

3.15.08
Posted by Ryan Clark at 9:27AM

#8 Texas Longhorns 66, Oklahoma State Cowboys 59

In the two previous meetings this season, the Oklahoma State Cowboys took the Texas Longhorns to the wire. When they first met in Stillwater, it was only a 63-61 victory for the Longhorns, while the margin in Austin was a slightly more comfortable seven-point spread. So when the teams met in Kansas City yesterday, Sean Sutton’s team wasn’t daunted by the fact that they were only a 9-seed taking on the league champions. They knew they could hang with Texas, and it showed.

Five straight losses to Texas have Coach Sutton fuming
(Photo credit: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press)

After the Longhorns sprinted out to a 9-3 lead, the Pokes went on a 10-0 run to jump on top and get the entire arena rooting for their upset bid. The rest of the first half was a repeat of the first few minutes, with Texas rebuilding a seven-point lead, yet finding itself down by a point at half following a Terrel Harris three with two seconds left.

The second half was a completely different story, though. The Texas defense — which seemed to confuse the hell out of OSU with a 2-3 zone — held the Pokes scoreless for nearly the first eight minutes of the half, by which point the Longhorns were already up by eleven.

But as had been the case all season for Rick Barnes and company, they could not shake Okie State. The Pokes clawed back over the final 8:02 of the game, chipping away at a 13-point advantage. After an Obi Muonelo layup with just two minutes left, OSU was down just five, and the late-arriving crowd of 19,000 was smelling Longhorn blood. But with Jayhawks, Wildcats, Aggies, Sooners, and even the Colorado band pulling for the Pokes, the Texas defense stiffened up and stopped the comeback short.

The stars of the game for Texas were most certainly D.J. Augustin and Damion James. At one point early in the second half, Texas led by a 37-33 count. Thirty of those points came from Augustin and James. On the day, the pair combined for 47, while James pulled down 11 boards and added a highlight-reel block.

Connor Atchley’s defense was a key to the win
(Photo credit: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press)

While Connor Atchley had a really rough start to the day, his second-half contributions were huge. The junior’s shot was way off, and he even airballed a free throw. But his scrappy play inside led to some key putbacks in the second twenty, and his four blocks were integral to shutting down the Pokes. He even hustled on the loose balls, getting Texas an extra possession by reaching around an OSU player to throw it off of him along the sideline.

The negative from this win was the unfortunate injury to Gary Johnson in the first half, which initially looked like some kind of knee problem, but is apparently an ankle injury. After he headed to the locker room, he wasn’t seen again until second-half warm-ups, at which point he was walking around with a soft cast or brace wrapped around the ankle. Mark Rosner from the Austin-American Statesman reported in his blog yesterday afternoon that x-rays were negative, so Gary should be ready to go soon. But with the big tourney just a week away, I hope we keep the kid on the bench for the one or two games left and rest him up for the ones that truly matter.

The silver lining in Gary’s injury was a really solid day from Alexis Wangmene. Oklahoma State was absolutely abusing Texas on the offensive glass, grabbing nine rebounds off of their own misses in the first half. Coach Barnes went big in response, running only two guards out there to help fight off the Pokes. But without Johnson on the floor and Dexter Pittman getting yanked after about 0.004 seconds of play, the bulk of the load fell on Lex’s shoulders. And while he did pick up quite a few fouls, he ate up 14 minutes for Texas and added an inside hoop and pair of rebounds.

A win is really nothing more than stat padding at this point for the Horns, because it seems hard to believe that even a Big 12 Tournament title can get them a 1-seed in the NCAAs. The Selection Committee has made it painfully clear that they don’t pay attention to the B12 championship, and who can blame them when it ends just before the brackets are announced? Add that to the fact that UCLA, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Memphis are all winning the games they are supposed to in their own conference tourneys, and there doesn’t seem to be room for Texas or the Jayhawks to slide up a line.

Regardless, the Horns will march on and look for another confidence-boosting W today against the Oklahoma Sooners. Game preview will be coming your way shortly, as we’ve got to head out early in case the shuttle lines are lengthy. As was the case yesterday, enjoy the wall-to-wall hoops action, and check back here all afternoon as I’ve set the website to post some pre-written content throughout the day.

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