By Riley Zayas
Austin, Texas — If the Texas men’s basketball team has been consistent in one area throughout this largely inconsistent season, it is in close ballgames. For the second time this past week, the Horns won a game by five points or fewer, winning at TCU, 62-61, and then defeating Iowa State, 72-68, at the Frank Erwin Center Saturday afternoon. The bottom line: Texas has played well in the second half.
After Saturday’s victory over ISU, Texas head coach Shaka Smart said [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]his team’s performance after halftime also was the key.
“Our guys showed really good resolve coming down the stretch,” Smart said. “That’s what you have to do in these kinds of games.”
“These kinds of games” are games like those played against conference opponents, matcups that have developed a reputation for being close, defensive-minded contests that any team can win. The Big 12 is really a conference of parity, and that will be a reality this week especially, when the Longhorns face two of the hottest teams in the league: Kansas and Texas Tech.
Texas will travel to the Sunflower State for the second time this season to face off against the No. 3 Kansas Jaykawks (18-3 overall, 7-1 in Big 12 games) at 8 p.m. Monday in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN. It’s safe to say the Horns are the underdogs in this one, as Kansas has only gotten better as the season has gone on and Allen Fieldhouse is among the toughest environments for opposing teams in all of college hoops. Texas contended with the Jayhawks throughout the game when the two teams met Jan. 18, leading by five at the half before falling, 66-57.
The biggest reason for KU’s success throughout the past few years has been Udoka Azubuike, who has long been considered one of the country’s best big men. Listed on the Kansas roster at 7 feet tall and 270 pounds, he is an ideal shot blocker and rebounder, leading the team in rebounds per game, with 9.5, and blocks, with 2.6. His leadership is invaluable, as he’s averaging about 28 minutes on the floor per game, and when he scores 15 or more, the Jayhawks are 8-0 this season. But as good a scorer as he is, his main area of focus this season has been on defense, and it shows, as his average blocks per game went from 1.6 to 2.6, and his steals have gone up as well. He takes on the mantra of “rim protector,” and his contribution has played no small role in KU being ranked 12th in the country in scoring defense.
“On the defensive end, I really want to play more,” Azubiuke said at recent press conference. “My priority right now is really on defense, like getting rebounds and blocking shots. I feel like I’ve done an OK job of doing that, but it’s something I have to keep working on.”
An underclassmen who has emerged in recent ballgames has been freshman Christan Braun, whose confidence has improved tremendously throughout the season. The freshman could be a real problem off the bench for the Horns as he’ll challenge UT’s guards, not only in getting to the basket, but just in his overall aggressiveness. In a recent win over Oklahoma State, Braun scored 16 points and had two steals. Braun still is looking for his first points against Texas, after he didn’t score in just four minutes of action in the first meeting.
The Jayhawks also are without forward Silvio de Sousa, who is serving a suspension handed down by the Big 12 for his part in the brawl at the end of KU’s game against Kansas State.
Since the turn of the century, the Jayhawks are 18-1 when at home against the Horns. UT’s last win in Allen Fieldhouse came back in 2011.
Following that showdown with Kansas, the Longhorns will welcome yet another opponent to the Erwin Center when they host Texas Tech at 3 p.m. Saturday in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN2. The defending national runners-up have been much better than their current status as one of the teams just outside the top 25 but receiving votes for a spot in the Associated Press top 25. The Red Raiders went to overtime against No. 13 Kentucky before losing two weeks ago and took No. 3 Kansas down to the wire Saturday, mounting a comeback in the final two minutes before falling, 78-75.
Tech (13-8 overall and 4-4 against Big 12 teams) and Texas (14-7, 4-4) have similar records, although the Red Raiders’ strength of schedule (SOS) is 30th in the country while Texas’ is 45th. Amongst other quality opponents for the Red Raiders this season have been Creighton, Baylor, Kansas, and of course, the crazy upset early on over No. 1 Louisville. Head coach Matt Beard has been able to carry over some of last season’s success in March, despite losing stars Jarrett Culver and Matt Mooney to the NBA.
One of the returners who has stepped up has been senior Davide Moretti, who played a significant role in last year’s deep tournament run. An accomplished ball handler, he has been hard for defenses to stop when driving into the lane or stepping back for a jumper. His quickness is perhaps the most important attribute that makes him a great point guard, as he has a tendency to create turnovers, and then take it coast to coast on a fast break. So far, his stats have reflected that, shooting 42 percent from the field, 92 percent from the free throw line and leading the team with 28 steals in 21 games played.
TJ Holyfield has been the beneficiary of many of Moretti’s 48 assists, as the 6-8 forward has scored 9.1 points per game and has shot 54 percent this season, setting up a critical matcup in the post with Jericho Sims.
Texas Tech has played UT more often than any other opponent since the first meeting between the teams in the 1949-50 season; Texas holds a major advantage, with a 79-59 record against the Red Raiders.
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