Longhorns Fall in Big XII Tourney Final

by awiggo on Mar 16, 2008 4:59 PM CDT in Basketball

I am just walking in from a work engagement and want to put a few thoughts up. Despite a solid effort by the Longhorns, they fall 84-74 to Kansas in Kansas City. Texas is now 0-5 in Big XII tournament titles.

First, I didn't get to see any of the first half on television but did get to listen on the radio. How freaking good was DJ Augustin in the first 20 minutes? Second, I did get to see most of the second half on television.

This was a fabulous basketball game by both teams and one in which Kansas made just a few more plays and was able to grab a few more rebounds. Nothing about losing to Kansas should give Longhorns' fans any concern. The Jayhawks are deep, have at least five future NBA players, and were playing in front of mostly a home crowd.

Texas got Kansas in Austin. The Jayhawks got the Longhorns in Kansas City. 1-1. Be proud.

A few reasons why Kansas ended up victorious:

1) +13 on the glass. I don't know how many offensive rebounds Kansas gathered but I do know they also had the advantage in second chance points.

2) Kansas shot 60% from behind the arc. Mario Chalmers was more than Super today. He was unbelievable! As a team KU was 15-of-25 from three. Charles hit eight three-pointers by himself.

3) Fast Break Points: 15-0 KU. Anytime you play Kansas, you have to slow down their fast break. They are just too good in transition. They can run off turnovers, off missed shots, and even off made buckets. With basically just six healthy and able Longhorns, the transition battle wasn't even close.

Overall, this was a fantastic college basketball game. Congratulations to Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks. KU is a very, very good basketball team and one that I'm glad Texas won't be playing again anytime soon.

--AW--

0 recs | Comment 12 comments

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No gas

Gotta believe just about every telling stat you mentioned above comes down to endurance (3 games in 3 days just killed us)...rebounding is usually about hustle, same with fastbreak points, and when you play zone all game long because you're too spent to play man-to-man, you're going to give up a lot of open looks.

Every time I looked it up it seemed like Collins, Rush, and Chalmers were coming back in from off the bench to light it up.

Even after all that we were still in it near the end but settle for jump shots shot off of tired legs.

I actually hope we see KU again in the final four down in SA where don't just know we'll return the partisan crowd favor.

Be nobody but yourself in a world that desperately wants you to be like everybody else.

by 54b on Mar 16, 2008 5:41 PM CDT 0 recs

I was impressed

that we could stay that close till the end when Kansas shot 15 of 25 from three. It was not like we were giving them the three either, although I think we stayed in the 2 - 3 too long. A great game to watch with both teams executing perfectly all game long.

by Wells on Mar 16, 2008 6:39 PM CDT 0 recs

Great game

For a long time, the Big 12 was Kansas, and then everybody else. Now, Texas is in the same league, and one of these years we'll be cutting down the nets. Just a matter of time. Kansas has a superior program that raises the level of play throughout the conference. It is a great testament to Barnes and his program that we are now on a par with the Jayhawks.

by NYCHorn on Mar 16, 2008 7:43 PM CDT 0 recs

Next Year

I know its early to look at next year, but Kansas will not be the same team next season.

They will definitely lose seniors, Sasha Kaun, Russell Robinson, and Darnell Jackson, and could potentially lose juniors Brandon Rush and Mario Chalmers and sophomore Darrell Arthur to the NBA.

That's maybe the worse case scenario, losing six, but even in the best scenario they lose four, probably five.

--AW--

by awiggo on Mar 16, 2008 8:50 PM CDT up 0 recs

Is it too early?

When can we start speculating on what Texas will look like next year? Assuming we lose DJ and Mason shifts over to point (at least until a freshman comes up to speed), we still have Atchley and James on the front line. And with the improvement we are seeing by Wingman, Dex, Gary, and even Chappy, we could have a monster inside game. Then everyone will be amazed at how the team can lose DJ Augustin and still be great.

by Caradoc on Mar 17, 2008 10:36 AM CDT up 0 recs

Little Early

But I'm right there with you. Let's at least wait until after the tourney.

But Rick Barnes is so good at developing players and landing top notch talent that even if both James and Augustin leave, we will still be a top 20 team and a contender for the Big XII title come next January. Ten years and still getting better...God, I love Texas basketball.

--AW--

by awiggo on Mar 17, 2008 5:04 PM CDT up 0 recs

big 12 tourney

Does the conference tourney always get held in KC? I can't for the life of me remember the tourney being held somewhere else.

Did KU ever miss today? I wasn't able to devote 100% of my time watching, but when I did watch they never missed.

I hate Kansas with a passion - Bill Self is an arrogant, cocky SOB. And I get sick of KU always getting breaks, esp. in their own backyard.

Hopefully they continue their recent "success" in the NCAA's by falling flat and getting knocked out early. So with their hot shooting ("live by the 3") in today's game, they are sure to "die by the 3" in the tourney. And they can shove that up their "rock, chalk, Jayhawk" bung-holes.

by UTHorns on Mar 16, 2008 9:46 PM CDT 0 recs

Oklahoma City

It was held in OKC last year. I think it is in KC next year but then there is some rotation.

--AW--

by awiggo on Mar 16, 2008 9:53 PM CDT up 0 recs

WTF why?

Why can't it rotate every year? Houston, San Antonio, or Dallas could be the next rotation.

Houston Rockets winning streak currently at: 22 games

by goingforthecorner on Mar 16, 2008 10:55 PM CDT up 0 recs

Hard to have the tourney in Houston and SA...

...when they don't bid on it. I believe OKC, Dallas, and KC are the only cities in Big 12 land that consistently put together bids on hosting the tournament. Denver, St. Louis, Omaha, Houston, San Antonio for whatever reason typically don't submit bids.

Last year the tourney was in OKC as it is next year. The year before that it was in Dallas. In 2010 and 2011 it will be in KC again. Beyond that remains to be determined. I guess we'll see which cities bid for it beyond 2011.

There's been rumblings about permanently hosting the basketball tournament in KC and keeping the football championship in Texas permanently (at Jerry's stadium). I wouldn't have any problem with that.

by KU Lew on Mar 16, 2008 11:14 PM CDT up 0 recs

No need to hate on Self

I'm a bit surprised to see you refer to Self as arrogant and cocky. He's far from it. Hands down he's one of the most likable guys you can ever meet. Talk to him for 5 minutes and it's like you're his friend.

He also has a ton of respect for Barnes and the UT program. He had a lot of nice things to say about UT heading into today's game and afterwards.

As for KU living or dying by the 3, that's not really KU's game. KU's first option on offense is always the post - sometimes to a fault. UT's zone kept leaving our shooters with wide-open 3's so we had to take them today.

by KU Lew on Mar 16, 2008 11:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

When you make 15 of 25

There is no have to about it. Kansas moves the ball better than any team in college, and that creates open shots both inside and out.

Any college team that goes cold from the three is in trouble, as teams can go zone on them and collapse in tight, taking away the inside game. The pro game is different because of the three being extended and rules on illegal defense.

by Wells on Mar 17, 2008 9:52 AM CDT up 0 recs