Texas men’s basketball seeks end to three-game skid against TCU, Iowa State

By Riley Zayas

AUSTIN, Texas — Sometimes a loss isn’t such a bad thing — especially when it comes outside of conference play and against a Southeastern Conference opponent and results in a boost of a team’s confidence

That’s the case for the Texas Longhorns heading into this upcoming week after they dropped a close contest to the LSU Tigers, 69-67, in which redshirt sophomore guard Andrew Jones tied his career high with 20 points. Sure, the Longhorns took a loss, but by the way they played and hung in the game, their confidence and morale of the team appeared to be at a much higher level, not only heading into the matchup, but throughout the game. If that[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] confidence can continue into this week’s games against TCU and Iowa State, it could contribute to two wins for the Horns, who are 2-4 in conference play.

First on tap for Texas will be a road trip up north on IH-35 to take on TCU in Fort Worth Wednesday night.

If the Big 12 were ranked in terms of experience, TCU would be near the bottom, The Horned Frogs lost five players from last year’s team, four of whom averaged double figures in scoring last season. As a result, they are carried by Desmond Bane and RJ Nembhard, who have been awfully tough for opposing defenses to stop this season.

Bane, a senior who can play both guard and forward, leads the team in most statistical categories, including scoring with an average of 16.7 points per game, while Nembhard, a sophomore guard, has come up clutch at the line in conference play, getting to the line more than anyone on the team, and knocking down 53 of 72 (74 percent) free throws.

TCU has played its fair share of quality opponents so far this season, including Clemson, USC and Xavier in non-conference play. The Frogs lost to all three of those teams, but by close margins. They kicked off Big 12 action with a huge home victory in overtime, 81-79, over Iowa State, and followed that up with another two-point win days later on the road at K-State. A win over Oklahoma State put them at 3-0 in conference before two losses, including an 81-49 pounding at West Virginia. However, they showed a lot of heart in 65-64 victory over No. 18 Texas Tech before a 78-67 loss to Arkansas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

Texas has won 69 of 169 all-time meetings with the Horned Frogs, in a series that began in the 1949-50 season. Texas won the most recent meeting last season, a 58-44 home victory.

Wednesday’s 7 p.m. game will be streamed on subscription-based ESPN+ and will be broadcast over the airwaves on 104.9 the Horn.

Iowa State will venture to Austin to face off at 1 p.m. Saturday against the Horns. Both Texas and Iowa State have excellent scoring weapons, but defense has been a consistent problem for both throughout the season. At the beginning of the week, the Cyclones were allowing 72. 5 points per game, the worst in the Big 12. Texas is a little better, in sixth, allowing 63.2 points per game.

Iowa State’s scoring duo of guards Tyrese Haliburton and Rasir Bolton, who average 15.7 and 15.1 points per game, respectively, will present significant challenges for the Longhorns. After a season at Penn State, Bolton was welcomed with open arms in Ames after the Cyclones had lost three players from last year’s squad who averaged double figures in scoring last season.

 “He can really put pressure on the basket,” Iowa State head coach Steve Prohm told Athlon Sports before the season. “He can get the ball off quick and he had really good numbers for a freshman last season.”

Good numbers indeed, but Bolton has raised his production since joining the Cyclones, as he has emerged into their go-to three-point shooter, knocking down 33 percent of his tries from beyond the arc.

But as much as Bolton has become a leader on this squad, the guy Texas will have to shut down is Haliburton, who leads the team in scoring average (15.7 points per game), field goals (106), three-point field goals (46), rebounding average (5.9 per game), assists (128) and steals (46).

Prohm’s squad has reached the NCAA tournament in four of the last five seasons, but has yet to reach the tournament’s second weekend. To raise that bar, the 9-10 Cyclones (who are 2-4 in Big 12 play) will have to get back on track in a hurry. Iowa State battle it out Wednesday with top-ranked Baylor before Saturday’s game in Austin. Texas is 23-17 all-time against ISU.

Saturday’s game will be televised on the Longhorn Network and over the radio on 104.9 the Horn.
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