The consistent storyline this season has been the youth of the Texas Longhorns. How quickly would this young team produce, and how soon would the freshmen mature? On Monday night in New Jersey, it turned out to be the team’s junior leader who had a costly moment of immaturity.

The Longhorns built a lead as large as 18 points against N.C. State in the second half. The Wolfpack had clawed back to within 13 points with just 8:25 to play. That’s when J’Covan Brown and the Longhorns unraveled. Whistled for his fourth foul, Brown said it was “bullshit” on his way to the bench and was tagged with a technical foul, which was also his fifth personal. His night was over, and so were the hopes for a Longhorn victory.

North Carolina State seized the momentum and stormed back, turning the remaining 13-point deficit into an eight-point lead in less than six minutes. The Texas offense stalled out, earning just two points during the meltdown, with both coming at the free throw line.

The Longhorns managed to wake up and stay competitive in the final minutes, but it was too late. A potential game-tying three pointer from Julien Lewis was slapped away as time expired. Although the ball was on its downward flight when it was blocked, it was well short and already below the iron, sending Texas home with an 0-2 record in New Jersey.

What looked good

For the first thirty minutes, the Longhorn offense was clicking. Early on, the freshmen were the ones lighting up the scoreboard, as Brown took more than 12 minutes to log his first bucket. Jonathan Holmes was aggressive from the start, scoring the team’s first seven points. He was confident with the ball and tenacious on the glass, finishing the night with 16 points and eight boards.

Texas’ early success was built on smart basketball, with the first five buckets all coming after an assist. The Longhorns moved the ball well, kept N.C. State on its heels, and looked for the open teammates for easy finishes. Although Brown’s early exit limited him to just 28 minutes on the floor, the junior was again the major facilitator, dishing out seven dimes to go with his 17 points.

Sheldon McClellan also had another solid game for Texas, consistently putting the ball on the floor and driving to the paint. His aggressive play earned him seven trips to the line, and he knocked down five freebies, finishing with 16 points. The freshman logged 28 points and eight rebounds in his two games in East Rutherford and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Perhaps the biggest thing for the Longhorns was that they won the rebounding battle for a second straight game. Even more importantly, they did their best job on the defensive glass all season, allowing a very talented N.C. State frontcourt to win just 27.6% of their offensive rebounding chances. In the first three games, Texas had not held an opponent below 41% on the offensive glass.

The Longhorns also continued their success at the free-throw line, knocking down 76% of their attempts. Unfortunately, the team missed three out of five in the minutes following Brown’s foul-out, including the front end of a one-and-one. With the offense struggling so much during the N.C. State run, missing the freebies only made things worse.

It was also encouraging to see solid defensive efforts from the Texas big men early on. Alexis Wangmene and Clint Chapman both blocked a shot in the first few minutes of the game, and Wangmene frustrated the Wolfpack’s Richard Howell, setting the tone early with sound post defense.

What needed work

Obviously the most glaring issue in this one was a lack of maturity by Brown. He claimed after the game that his words weren’t directed at the referee and were said when he was almost to the bench. Regardless of the where or why, he cannot even put himself in a situation where he could be misunderstood. The simple fact of the matter is that he has to know better.

His coach said as much in his post-game comments. “That’s where he’s gotta grow up,” Barnes told the media. “This happens too much. Sooner or later he’s going to have to figure it out. It’s a team game. It’s not about him.”

Unfortunately, Myck Kabongo and the rest of the Longhorns went into their turtle shells after Brown left the game. The Texas offense deteriorated into weak attempts at dribble penetration, followed by taking the air out of the ball at the perimeter when those drives were turned away. Earlier in the season, Kabongo was able to put the ball on the floor and create offense. After Brown’s departure, it looked like the freshman point guard had completely forgotten how.

That disappearing act by the Kabongo coupled with the frightened play of Sterling Gibbs against Oregon State is huge cause for concern. If Texas has no other guards to step up in Brown’s absence, any foul trouble for the junior will spell disaster for the Longhorns. It wouldn’t even be that surprising to see future opponents get a little chirpy in Brown’s ear in an effort to set him off and eliminate Texas’ leadership.

In addition to Brown’s maturity issues, the Longhorns have to be concerned with how careless the team was with the ball early. Texas turned it over seven times in the first 12 minutes of play, but still managed to hold a five-point lead. Most frustrating was the fact that many of the turnovers were simple miscommunications or lazy passes when the Wolfpack had little or no pressure on the ball. Fortunately, Texas was able to calm down and only turn it over six more times the rest of the game, but their miscues still led to 21 points for the opposition.

Texas also continued to have difficulties with foul trouble. Every Longhorn outside of Gibbs picked up at least three fouls, and the team drew 28 whistles in total. The team’s defensive free throw rate was an improbable 100%, meaning that the Wolfpack took as many shots at the line as it did from the field.

There’s something to be said about the fact that N.C. State was in the bonus before the first media timeout of the second half. But at the same time, the Longhorns have to be cognizant of the fact that they have a short bench and they must play defense with their feet rather than their hands. We saw quite a bit of zone from Texas in New Jersey when foul trouble began to build, and there might be a lot more of that in the future if the Horns cannot play man-to-man defense without drawing whistles.

The big picture

While losing two second half leads to drop two consecutive games is annoying in its own right, these defeats are even more frustrating when considered in a larger context. The Longhorns have a tough round-robin schedule awaiting them in conference play, and precede that with road trips to UCLA and UNC. Quality wins are going to be tough to come by, and for a team that is likely going to be on bubble watch all season long, these two losses are squandered opportunities.

N.C. State and Oregon State are both teams that will likely surprise people in their conferences. The Pac-12 appears to be wide open outside of a strong Cal squad, while the ACC is top heavy with North Carolina, Duke, and Florida State leading the charge. A win in either game this weekend would have looked very good come March. Now, Texas will have to wait to build its résumé.

Next up: vs. Sam Houston State (1-2); Saturday, 7 P.M. CT

On Saturday night, Texas fans got their first taste of the nausea and heartburn caused by rooting for a young, inexperienced team. In the semifinals of the TicketCity Legends Classic, the Longhorns failed to execute in the final minutes, allowing Oregon State to force overtime and eventually escape with a 100-95 win.

The team had little time to dwell on the loss, as less than 48 hours later they square off against a formidable NC State team in the consolation game. The Wolfpack was expected to be rebuilding this year under new coach Mark Gottfried, but have looked impressive in the first two weeks of the season and could make some noise in a top-heavy ACC this year.

By the numbers

NC State has been an enigmatic team so far this year, as suspensions and injuries have made it difficult for Coach Gottfried to find his optimal lineup. He’s utilized seven different starters so far this year, and it’s just a matter of time until sophomore star C.J. Leslie ups that number to eight with his first appearance in the starting five.

The Wolfpack’s strength lies in a talented frontcourt, which allows them to grab nearly 40% of their missed shots and score at will in and around the paint. NC State is shooting 57.1% from inside the arc, with 166 of their 314 points (52.9%) coming in the paint. It’s not just the big men putting back missed shots, though, as the guards and wings are incredibly adept at drawing the defense with penetration and dumping it underneath or kicking it out for open midrange jumpers.

Defensively, the team’s two weaknesses are perimeter defense and a tendency to send opponents to the free throw line. Fortunately for the Longhorns, they have been solid this season both behind the arc and at the charity stripe. Wolfpack opponents are shooting 42.9% from long range and have made at least eight three-pointers in every game.

The Wolfpack also has a defensive free-throw rate that ranks in the bottom third of D-I hoops. The Longhorns, meanwhile, are in the top 75 offensively in that category, so they could find success today by being aggressive with the dribble and attacking the defense. That approach could yield twice the success, as it not only would pile up the points, but also could put the Wolfpack bigs in foul trouble and level the playing field.

Meet the Wolfpack

The floor general for NC State is sophomore guard Lorenzo Brown, who was recruited as a shooting guard but has made a smooth transition to lead ballhandler. He still scores at will as his 11.8-point scoring average attests, but his 7-plus assists per game keep the offense clicking. Brown’s assist rate of 35.8% is currently second in the ACC, behind only UNC’s Kendall Marshall.

The true star of the team, though, is sophomore sensation C.J. Leslie, who made his debut against Vanderbilt on Saturday night. Leslie’s season started late as a result of receiving $410 in impermissible benefits, which he had to repay to charity. The NCAA dinged the sophomore for accepting $260 from a student so his brother could pay the application fee for an apartment and for borrowing another student’s car for a week, which the NCAA figured would have cost $150 as a rental.

With three games to cool his heels and watch the team, Leslie was ready to go against the ‘Dores. He scored 20 points in 27 minutes off the bench, shooting a blazing 77.8% from the field. The 6’8″ forward and McDonald’s All-American is a truly elite talent, but might not be quite up to game shape yet. In the final minutes of the loss to Vanderbilt, Leslie cramped up and had to leave the game temporarily to down fluids and get stretched out on the sideline.

Senior wing C.J. Williams is known for his defensive tenacity, but he’s still averaging 11 points per game so far this season. With former point guard Ryan Harrow’s transfer to Kentucky, Williams also gives Coach Gottfried another ballhandler to compliment Brown. He also does a solid job rebounding from the wing, as his 17 boards are third-best on the team.

The leader in that department is junior Richard Howell. He’s currently averaging a double-double for the Wolfpack, scoring 16.3 points per game to go with 10.3 rebounds. Conditioning issues limited his minutes last season, so the 6’8″ big man dropped 15 pounds in the offseason and has seen his playing time increase to more than 27 minutes per game this season.

Joining Howell inside is fellow junior DeShawn Painter. The 6’9″ center can stretch out the defense with a solid midrange jump shot and has even knocked down a couple from just inside the arc earlier this year. Down low, he’s especially good at sealing off his defender and immediately demanding the ball. The versatile Painter will prove to be a very difficult matchup for the Longhorns tonight.

Another player who can stretch the defense is Indiana native Scott Wood. He started three games before spraining his ankle in a win over Princeton on Wednesday and was forced to sit out against Vanderbilt on Saturday night. His status for tonight’s game is unknown, but if he is on the court, Texas will have to stick to him like glue. Wood made more than 40% of his looks from beyond the arc last season, and was an incredible 58.3% from long range before his injury this year.

NC State has a solid reserve guard in Alex Johnson, a transfer from Cal State Bakersfield who is eligible to play immediately as a graduate student. He brings hard-nosed defense to the team and gives the coaching staff another quality ballhandler to spell Brown. The experienced 5’10” guard is playing more than 30 minutes a game despite coming off the bench in all four games, and his quick hands have logged six steals so far.

Freshman forward Tyler Harris is slowly adjusting to the college game, but he has a lot to prove tonight in front of his friends from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey. The younger brother of former Tennessee star Tobias Harris, Tyler is a good outside shooter, but has looked uncomfortable so far this year. He’s bound to have a breakthrough game soon, so the ‘Horns will have to hope it doesn’t come against them.

The final piece of the core rotation is seven-footer Jordan Vandenberg. The Australian import is still a little raw and his lateral movement is slow and choppy on defense, but his height is an undeniable game changer. When he plays solid defense and stands tall, opponents have a very, very difficult time scoring in the post.

Vandenberg will have another frontcourt reserve joining him tonight, as NC State announced this afternoon that Belgian product Thomas de Thaey‘s amateur certification has been cleared by the NCAA and he will be available against Texas. The 6’8″ big man adds even more depth and size to the Wolfpack roster.

Finally, it’s also worth noting that NC State has one of the best-named, seldom-used players in the country with Staats Battle, whose name sounds like a Swedish advertisement for a throwdown between Ken Pomeroy and John Gasaway.

Keys to the game

1) Limit interior scoring – If Wood is back in action tonight, this will be a very tough task for the Longhorns. His three-point prowess stretches the defense and opens things up inside for the talented NC State frontcourt. Without Wood, however, the Pack becomes much more one-dimensional. Take away his 58.3% mark from behind the arc, and NC State is just 24.5% from three-point range. Without that threat, Texas will be free to zone the Wolfpack, but will have to communicate very well, as NC State moves the ball quickly.

2) Minimize second-chance points – Defensive rebounding has been a glaring issue for the Longhorns through the first three games, and unfortunately the solid NCSU frontcourt does a great job of getting back their missed shots. The Wolfpack reclaimed at least 39% of their missed shots in each of their three wins, but struggled when Vanderbilt kept them off the glass. Gottfried was frustrated by the contact inside, and it was clear his team was too. Texas will certainly not be as successful as Vanderbilt was, but if they can limit the damage from extended possessions, it will only help their chances tonight.

3) Keep J’Covan Brown involved – Brown had a tough second half and overtime against Oregon State, scoring just eight of his 25 points during that stretch. When he’s on his game and lighting up the scoreboard, the rest of the team is also elevated. Defenses have to sell out to stop his drives, which has allowed him to dish out a team-leading 23 assists. Texas must work to keep him involved for the entire 40 minutes tonight.

Keeping up with the game

As it was on Saturday night, this one is airing exclusively on Longhorn Network and streaming online at ESPN3.com. If you don’t have either of those options available to you (or you just want additional commentary), you can also follow along with our live updates from the IZOD Center via Twitter @LonghornRdTrip.

#2 Duke Blue Devils 73, NC State Wolfpack 56 – After twenty minutes, the second-ranked team in the nation trailed State by four, thanks to a paltry 29% shooting clip in the first half. But Coach K’s team shot a ridiculous 20-of-29 in the second half, while holding the visitors to just one field goal in the final eight minutes of play. Gerald Henderson led the way for the Dukies, posting 21 with seven rebounds.

#24 Illinois Fighting Illini 67, Ohio State Buckeyes 49 – Bruce Weber’s defense continued its stifling play, forcing the Buckeyes into 20 turnovers on the night, a season high for the visiting club. Dominique Keller provided a spark off the bench for Illinois, dropping in 12 points to go with his six boards in only twenty minutes of play. The win keeps the Illini tied for second in the Big 10, with a huge home game against Wisconsin looming on Saturday afternoon.

Texas Tech Red Raiders 63, Colorado Buffaloes 55 – With sharpshooting senior Alan Voskuil suffering from the flu and limited to only three points, Mike Singletary was asked to carry the load for Tech on Tuesday night. The big man bruised his way to 20 points and nine rebounds in only 22 minutes off the bench, propelling the Red Raiders to their first conference victory of the season.

It’s not exactly a night that will keep you glued to the couch, which might seem obvious when Ohio State and Illinois play in the headliner…

Top 25 Action

Ohio State (13-3 overall, 3-2 Big 10) at #25 Illinois (15-3, 3-2) | 7 PM ET, ESPN
Bruce Weber and the Illini have bounced back from an awful 2007-08 season much faster than anyone might have expected, but a tough stretch to open conference play has left them in the middle of the standings. Ohio State finds itself in the middle of that same pack, but enters tonight’s game in Champaign as winners of five straight against Illinois. The Buckeyes will have their work cut out for them, however, as they are ranked 250th in the country in offensive rebounding and are facing the nation’s 10th-ranked defense.

North Carolina State (10-5 overall, 1-2 ACC) at #2 Duke (16-1, 3-0) | 8 ET, ESPN Full Court
Duke has been playing absolutely lights out as of late, most recently shutting down Georgetown on Saturday afternoon at Cameron Indoor. They are sporting an NCAA-best +0.345 efficiency differential, just ahead of their Tobacco Road rival, North Carolina. In simpler terms, the Blue Devils outscore their opponents by 0.345 points per possession, which means that even if the Wolfpack can slow things down to their tempo, they will only lose by……approximately 22 points. Uh oh.

Big 12 Games

Colorado (8-8 overall, 0-2 Big 12) at Texas Tech (10-7, 0-2) | 8 PM ET, ESPN Full Court
It’s a game matching two teams that have the potential to be the absolute worst squads in the Big 12! If that doesn’t scream “must watch,” I’m not sure what else does. Perhaps a marathon of the Ryan Seacrest-produced reality show, Momma’s Boys?

Around the country

Tennessee (11-5 overall, 2-1 SEC) at Vanderbilt (12-5, 1-2) | 9 PM ET, ESPN
Last year, these two teams put on one of the most exciting games of the season, as the Commodores eked out a three-point win over their cross-state rivals, who had just reached No. 1 for the first time in school history. This year, there’s not nearly as much on the line, but excitement is still on tap. Just ask stat guru Ken Pomeroy, who hopes his new FanMatch feature can pinpoint the most intriguing match-ups of the night. And according to Mr. Pomeroy’s brand-spanking-new ranking system, this particular Battle of Tennessee has a 71.7% chance of kicking major ass. Guaranteed.