Michael Flowers came off of a high screen and drilled an NBA-range three, then stole the ensuing inbounds pass and threw it skyward as time expired. By the time the ball came back to the court, there was an eerie feeling in the Erwin Center. Faint cheering could be heard cascading from the large Wisconsin contingent in the rafters, while the Longhorn players trudged off the court, eyes locked to the ground. Wisconsin had stolen a win over a Top 10 team on the road, and they’d done it without their best player.

Without Trevon Hughes on the court for Bo Ryan, the Longhorns (11-2) seemed like the odds on favorite in the game. They dominated the boards in the first half, negating the one huge advantage that the Badgers should have had. Texas even burst out of the gates in the second half, sprinting to an eight-point lead. So what went wrong?

Many will focus on the missed free throw by A.J. Abrams with 11 seconds left. But the Longhorns had already missed five of their ten free throws prior to that, including two front ends on one-and-ones. In a game decided by only one, that’s seven possible points left at the charity stripe. In the grand scheme of things, this one loss isn’t that big, but 50% free throw shooting will kill a season in March.

A lot of focus has also been paid to the controversial charging call on D.J. Augustin, which erased a basket that could’ve put the Horns up by five. While it’s very likely that this one call changed the outcome of the game, it’s a fact of life that referees will sometimes blow calls. Oftentimes they turn out to be inconsequential, but in rare cases such as these, they come at a moment which completely changes the game. All that being said, the simple fact of the matter is that Texas should not have been in a position where that call would have mattered. End of story.

Damion James was the only Longhorn who played a solid game throughout, grabbing 15 rebounds to go with his 21-point performance. Although James had a trio of rim-rocking dunks, he accrued those other 15 points very quietly. James hit a ton of mid-range jumpers and cleaned it up around the paint, methodically racking up the points and keeping the Horns in front.

After a solid first few minutes, Connor Atchley struggled the rest of the way. Although he blocked three shots, he picked up four fouls largely as a result of his sudden penchant for biting on every pump fake the Wisconsin big men threw his way. Atchley finished the night with eight points and seven boards, but his struggles defensively were a huge reason why the Badgers chalked up 36 points in the paint.

The half-court, grind-it-out game that Wisconsin played was a perfect fit for Dexter Pittman, and the big man grabbed a solid thirteen minutes in the contest. It’s a good sign that he’ll be ready for the Aggies and Sooners, but the worrisome part of the equation is that Pittman also bit on a ton of pump fakes, just like Atchley. I have a strong feeling that Todd Wright and Rick Barnes will be working hard with the forwards and centers on their defense this week.

A.J. Abrams contributed in a ton of different ways, hitting a lot of ridiculous runners and fadeaways. I’ve mentioned it earlier this season, but it bears repeating — last year, Abrams could not hit a runner to save his life. The addition of these shots to his repertoire makes him an even more dangerous player, and adds another layer to the Texas offense that other teams must prepare for.

Perhaps the biggest reason why the 67-66 loss didn’t sting too badly was the text message about 30 minutes before tipoff informing me that Gary Johnson was cleared to play in the TCU game. Since then, it has been announced he will be inserted into the starting lineup, and quite frankly that has me completely jazzed about the rest of the season. Switching to a two-guard lineup allows Augustin, Abrams, and Justin Mason to rest, and gives Rick Barnes a slight bit of depth in his backcourt. Johnson’s presence in the frontcourt also fills a huge hole for a Longhorn team that desperately needs more of an inside presence.

That lack of an inside presence was a huge problem as the Badgers clawed back from the eight-point deficit in the second half. The +7 rebounding margin that the Longhorns enjoyed in the first half swung the other way, with Wisconsin outrebounding the Horns by six in the second twenty minutes.

Wisconsin’s big, physical players also wreaked havoc with the refs allowing a lot of banging inside. The Big 12 can get very physical at times, and Texas is going to see a lot of this from the Aggies and Sooners this season. They can’t afford to miss 293 bunnies at point blank range, as it seemed like they did in the first half of this one.

With a conservative look forward at the rest of this season, this loss likely cost Texas a shot at a 1-seed. With Kansas, two games against A&M, tough road tests in Mizzou and Kansas State, plus resurgent Baylor and Oklahoma teams in the South, the Longhorns have a very difficult schedule left. But a 1-seed isn’t a ticket to the Final Four, so the only reason this loss is incredibly frustrating is because it was a game the Longhorns should’ve won.

With two games left before conference play, Texas still has a very solid chance at entering the Missouri game with a 13-2 record. Tomorrow offers a great chance to try new things out with Gary Johnson in the lineup, while the Saturday match-up with St. Mary’s is a potential trap that the Horns must be ready for. Enjoy the New Year’s Bowls in the meantime, and a preview of the Horned Frogs will be headed your way tomorrow morning.

Texas faces its second-straight Big 10 opponent this morning as Bo Ryan’s Wisconsin Badgers come to town. The Longhorns are looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season, suffered last Saturday at the hands of Michigan State. Wisconsin comes into this one as winners of three straight, having only suffered two losses — both to teams currently ranked in the Top 10.

By the numbers

Bo Ryan’s teams are always known for their defense, and this year’s squad is no different. The Badgers are the best defensive team in the nation according to Ken Pomeroy, but offensively they are not too shabby either. Wisconsin boasts a +30.5 scoring differential per 100 possessions, which is slightly better than Texas’ +26.5 mark.

The Badgers are holding opponents to 36.6% shooting on the season. In the loss to Michigan State, the Horns shot only 39.3% for the game, their first game under the 40% benchmark on the year. Texas will have to really fight for its baskets today, and must grab as many easy looks in transition as they can.

The Badger team

Bo Ryan returns an experienced starting five, with two seniors, two juniors, and a sophomore. Big man Brian Butch is an integral part of the game plan, as he cleans up on the offensive glass and gives the team a shot at a ton of second-chance points. When he went down with an injury in the late-season game against Ohio State last year, the Badgers’ hopes for a Final Four run disintegrated.

Guard Trevon Hughes leads the team in both minutes and points, with 31.2 MPG and 15.1 PPG so far. He’s only six feet tall, so he is not a much of a mismatch for the Texas guards as some players they have faced in the past. If the Horns can actually shut down Butch as they did with Kevin Love against UCLA, the Badgers will have to rely on Hughes to carry the weight.

Michael Flowers has seen his game improve since being promoted to the starting role four games ago. He’s also not a tall guard, checking in at 6-feet, 2-inches, but if he continues his hot shooting it will make the Horns have to pick their poison.

The forwards on this Badger squad are big and effective, and will combine with Butch to create problems for Texas in the paint. Joe Krabbenhoft may have looked ridiculous in the high, striped throwback socks earlier this month, but 7.6/6.3 average is anything but funny. Marcus Landry has similar numbers, with 9.5 points and 5.1 boards per game.

What to look for

This is going to be a physical, slow-down affair, the type of game that causes problems for Texas. With the 11 A.M. start and students still on vacation, the awful atmosphere in the Frank Erwin Center could definitely let the Badgers hang around longer than they should. Texas needs to get out to a quick start and keep the dogs at bay, but also should not panic if they struggle early. Bo Ryan’s team is going to make it incredibly tough to score, so the Horns can’t afford to give in at any point.

Game is on ESPN2 this morning, so if you can’t make it down to the FEC, be sure to tune in.

Sure, there might be bowl games on today, but there’s wall-to-wall hoops action on ESPN2 and some local action on FSN for those in the south. A full listing of games on tap can be found a few paragraphs down, but for now let’s get to scores and news from the college basketball world.

Butler survived a scare at Southern Illinois, beating the Salukis on A.J. Graves’ 28-foot buzzer beater. It was only the fifth loss in the last 87 home games for SIU, who fell to a disappointing 5-6 mark with the defeat. Butler, meanwhile, is only one win away from running the table in their non-conf slate, having only lost to Horizon League foe Wright State.

Ole Miss is still undefeated! The Rebs knocked off Southern Miss, 78-58 in Southaven, moving to 12-0 for the first time in school history. And if that weren’t historic enough for Ole Miss, it is also the school’s first 12-game winning streak since 1926. With Alabama A&M next up on Wednesday, it looks like the streak should continue.

The Weber State Wildcats spoiled Eddie Sutton’s return to coaching, knocking off the San Francisco Dons, 62-54. Bitter Beer Face gets his next shot at 799 against the horrible Utah Valley State Wolverines on Monday night, but the Dons are pretty horrible themselves. Ought to be quite a thrilling match-up.

Chad Ford’s new draft rankings are out, and he’s got D.J. Augustin slotted 10th ($$). Fellow Big 12ers Darrell Arthur and DeAndre Jordan also cracked the Top 10, checking in at 7th and 5th, respectively.

Can anyone run the table this season? Fox Sports’ Dick Weiss won’t call it a lock just yet, but he concludes the Tigers have the best shot at it. While I don’t think they will put together six wins in a row come March, they definitely have a shot at an undefeated regular season. Their second-half defense against Big East power Georgetown was practically a clinic, and that was likely their toughest opponent on the schedule. The C-USA should be a cakewalk, but the Tigers could still potentially stumble against Arizona, Tennessee, or Gonzaga, although those three opponents will be played at home in the FedEx Forum.

Ready for a long day on the couch spent channel flipping between basketball and football? We’ve got you covered. ESPN2 has action all day long, starting with the Wisconsin/Texas game (11 AM CST), followed by San Diego/Kentucky (1 PM), Tennessee at Gonzaga (3 PM), OU against West Virginia (5 PM), Pitt and Dayton (7 PM), and that Arizona/Memphis matchup in the nightcap (9 PM). Local fans can check out Texas A&M hosting Florida A&M on FSN, tipping at 1 PM CST.

A hearty welcome to all the football fans who may have made their way over here now that the pigskin season is officially over for UT. We hope you enjoy your stay in the world of college hoops, a wonderful place where computers don’t decide who plays in championship games and even the smallest of underdogs gets an equal shot in the best playoff in sports.

North Carolina steamrolled Nevada last night, but lost guard Bobby Frasor in the process. The junior guard tore his left ACL and will miss the rest of the season, but don’t immediately think this is a huge loss for the Heels. Frasor was only averaging 17 minutes and three points per game so far this year after missing a lot of action last season with a foot problem. While this might cause some extra wear and tear on starter Ty Lawson, the Heels still have five other reserve guards on the roster who can try to eat up minutes.

Closer to home, Big 12 foe Mizzou torched Coppin State, 72-38. Coach Mike Anderson shuffled his lineup in this one, putting Stefhon Hannah and DeMarre Carroll on the bench to open the game. Mizzou’s high-pressure defense stifled the Eagles all night, forcing 22 turnovers and holding them to only 25.5% shooting.

There’s mostly just bowl games on TV tonight, although there’s a little mid-major flavor on the U, where a highly-disappointing Southern Illinios team plays host to 17th-ranked Butler (8 PM CST, ESPNU). And although it’s not televised outside of the Deep South, Ole Miss puts their undefeated mark on the line when taking on cross-state rival Southern Miss in a neutral-site game at Southaven.

Last night

Orlando took care of business at home and moved to 19-11 on the year, dispatching the Knicks, 110-96. Maurice Evans hardly saw the floor, making only a free throw in roughly six minutes of play. Coach Stan Van Gundy has been frustrated with the Magic’s poor showing recently, as they had dropped seven of nine heading into this one. As a result, he has mentioned lineup changes are coming, and perhaps a smaller role for Evans is a part of that plan.

The Nuggets steamrolled Milwaukee behind Marcus Camby’s triple-double, winning 125-105 in the Pepsi Center. Although it was a bad night for the Bucks, Royal Ivey still managed to shine. The guard had 14 points in 19 minutes of play to go along with two assists and a steal. Ivey was scorching hot from long range, hitting 4-of-6 from behind the arc.

Tonight

It’s been a rough December for Cleveland, who lost LeBron James for an extended stretch and has gone 4-8 this month. Things don’t get any easier tonight as Daniel Gibson and the Cavs head south to face the Mavericks in a nationally-televised game. (7 PM CST, TNT)

Seattle helped to build the “Big Three” in Boston by dealing Ray Allen to the Celtics this summer for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, and rookie Jeff Green. Since then, the C’s have dominated the League, running out to a 23-3 record. Kevin Durant and the Sonics, on the other hand, have struggled to an 8-20 start with their young squad. Tonight the two teams meet for the first time at Key Arena, where Allen will be honored in a pre-game ceremony by his old team and city. (9:30 PM, TNT)