Texas Longhorns Men’s Basketball Claims Victory: Defeats TCU 79-75
AUSTIN, Texas — From four minutes in the first half until 1:58 left in the game, Texas trailed TCU, then this happened. Timmy Allen tied the game with a layup, for the next 57 seconds Texas’ defense did not allow TCU to score, Marcus Carr hit a three-point shot that sent the Moody Center into complete mayhem. Texas held TCU scoreless for the next 24 seconds, TCU scored two on an Emanuel Miller jump shot that made it a one point game in favor of Texas.
Now, there are only six seconds left in the game and Texas is up by only one point.
Texas gets the ball back after TCU misses a free throw from Emanuel Miller that would have tied the game for the fifth time, Sir’Jabari Rice rebounds and slowly dribbles up the court, stops in the corner by the scorers table and close the Texas bench so he could hear coach Terry’s instructions. Rice then passes it to Marcus Carr who stands at half court about three inches from Bevo’s nostril. There are 25.8 seconds left. The ball is now in the hands of the
Carr, Texas’ leading scorer.
Carr puts the ball on his hip and settles in, points to Brock Cunningham who is camped right on the three point line in the corner. Carr dribbles right, then left, then back right to position himself at his most favorite spot and where he has the highest probability, steps inside the three point line and shoots … misses short off the front of the rim.
(thump thump — heart beat)
Sir’Jabari Rice gets the offensive rebound, starts up court and is fouled by TCU Mike Miles and puts Rice on the free throw line with 6.2 seconds on the clock. Rice has been shooting 88% from the free throw line this season. Rice makes it, Texas up by two. Rice sinks the next one putting Texas up by three. Time out is called by TCU with 6.2 seconds on the clock.
A three-point shot ties the game.
TCU inbounds the ball, Mike Miles brings it over half court line and Marcus Carr fouls him in the back court. Miles missed the first free throw and guess who snagged the rebound. Sir’Jarari Rice.
Rice is then fouled by TCU with 1.2 seconds left, goes to the free throw line, scores one more point, comeback complete and TEXAS WINS 79-75.
Sir’Jabari Rice ended the night with 15 points, all scored in the 2nd half, went 8-9 on free throws, and six rebounds. Timmy Allen rose up and scored 17 points, five rebounds, and two steals. Dylan Disu went 7-7 (100%) from the field for 14 points, and Marcus Carr scored 11 points.
The first half, Texas was getting beat up by TCU’s tough physical tight defense. Texas’ scoring percentage in the first half was 36.8% compared to 55.6% for TCU. Texas had six points from the bench compared to 19 from the bench in the second half, 15 of those from Sir’Jabari Rice.
The second half for Texas was different in the way they came out and played. Texas was more poised, in control, confident, as if they figured out what they did wrong in the first half and was methodically working on correctly.
We asked coach Terry what he said at halftime that caused the team to come out more poised. Terry said, “Well, this generation is a visual learning crew and so we have a great video guy in Fireball. Fireball had turnovers and had transition baskets which were really hurting us to start the half. So our guys got the chance to see visually where we were driving into traffic, we weren’t strong with the ball, we were making passes we said we couldn’t make against this team, As a result of that they were scoring in transition. Our guys got a chance to see that. The ball was sticking, we showed some possessions were the ball was not moving like it needed to move.”
Terry goes 7-1 and Texas is 14-2 (10-1 at home) and 3-1 in Big 12 Conference play.
Next Big 12 Conference game is against Texas Tech Jan. 14 (Sat) at 7 p.m. in Austin, Texas at the Moody Center. The attendance for the TCU game was officially 11,313.
