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Oftentimes, The Better Team Wins

As was the case today.

For my money, this was far and away the best team Texas played all year. I've got a host of thoughts on what happened today - some things we could have done much better to make this a competitive game - but in the end, my final analysis is simple: Memphis was better than Texas.

And so it goes. I'm extremely pleased with this team and this season, and I'd feel a whole lot worse if we'd lost to a team I felt we should have defeated.

Not today. Memphis was better from start to finish, and after today's result, it's safe to say they beat Texas four times out of five.

With that, a final salute to this Texas team, who can hold their heads high on a Big 12 championship, a road win in Pauley Pavilion, and a season that exceeded everyone's expectations.

--PB--

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Great Season Horns!

What a fun ride this team gave us.  We ran into a freak of a team from Memphis and got our clocks cleaned.  No shame in that considering they could very well end up winning it all.

If the initial in your last name begins with a "J", please come back for another year and win your team a Big XII Championship along with a National Championship.

Hook em!

by UTAth on Mar 30, 2008 3:42 PM CDT   0 recs

jd lewis =P

but ya given our experience we got this year (ucla win + tourney..etc) and if augustin comes back we will be in the final four!!! mark my words =)

by kinginthebox on Mar 30, 2008 4:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well crud

Its looking like baseball isnt up to our usual goodness, so basketball mightve been our last hope until the feeding frenzy that is summer practice.

I feel empty.

by the other Andrew on Mar 30, 2008 3:45 PM CDT   0 recs

Hook em'

They done us proud.  And I wouldn't trade this season for anything.  Ups, downs, and all the while a fun and wild ride.

by DisplacedTexan on Mar 30, 2008 3:46 PM CDT   0 recs

Agree...

...with it all Peter. Wow! That was everything I had anticipated from Memphis. They are one of very few team that can challenge us to play at a fast pace. Those big guards were totally dominant.

With that said, this was a fabulous season. Rick Barnes and his staff did an all-american job of bringing this team together. I know I never anticipated such a season. I'm incredibly proud of this group!

--- All roads to the Big-XII Championship lead through OU/RRS. It's not just another game! We're all about championships here. ---

by HornChamps on Mar 30, 2008 3:48 PM CDT   0 recs

Really looking forward to next season

The further development of Connor, Pittman, Johnson, Wangmene, Chapman, and don't forget about Matt Hill! If even 2 of those 6 guys can become a force, we'll have the front court we lacked this year. Then James can move to his true spot at the three. Do we have any big recruits also?

If DJ comes back, with Dogus and Brown to help him out next year and the other possible recruits, we will be sick with depth. No more 40 minute games for DJ... hooray! I also expect Mason to improve his offense. Stage 3 of the Royal Ivey clone process is now in effect.

by goingforthecorner on Mar 30, 2008 3:49 PM CDT   0 recs

Well Put

couldn't have asked for anything else 1 yr. after losing the best player ever to wear the burnt orange.  It was a good ride but Memphis was clearly the better team.

I've love to see them play Kansas.

by Not Now Chief on Mar 30, 2008 3:52 PM CDT   0 recs

Good season

I'm proud of our guys, but that doesn't stop me from being a bit annoyed with our performance.

First off, I thought Barnes came in with a surprisingly bad gameplan.  It's obvious what our advantages were, and we failed to utilize them until later.  Both offensively and defensively, the starting gameplan was just poor.

Of course, it's not Barnes fault that we simply shot the ball like crap (and somehow Memphis hit their free throws).  Basketball, to put it crudely, is about putting an orange ball through a red rim.  We shot the ball awfully, and thus the three ball, which needed to be an advantage for us, just wasn't there.  Memphis played good D but there were still many open looks that we simply didn't knock down.

Overall, we could have and should have played much better, and we are capable of beating Memphis.  As proud as I am of these guys, I'm disappointed we ended the season with such a poor performance.  At least, it could have been a game like the Big 12 championship game, where both Kansas and Texas played excellent basketball and the Jayhawks simply pulled it out.

by TheElusiveShadow on Mar 30, 2008 4:08 PM CDT   0 recs

I don't know.

Memphis is really good, BUT Texas shot the ball poorly, and had uncharacteristic turnovers..

I Leinart the Tigers. The better team lost today.

If you look at what Memphis did today:

  1. Shot 50% from the field and 83.3% (30-36)!! from the line
  1. Shut down our long range shooting. 9-28 3-pointers.
  1. Shut down Atch.
  1. Every loose ball went there way.

If a couple of those things go in our favor it would have been a game.  We came out tentative and just could not maintain momentum.  I hate Memphis. Damnit.

I'm a poor sport. I am crushed. Great year Horns.  Almost to the Final 4.  Thank you.

by jimmer on Mar 30, 2008 4:16 PM CDT   0 recs

Memphis Forced Those Turnovers, they

were uncharacteristic but its not like DJ was dribbling off his foot, Memphis was in his face and they were far more aggressive than us.

They are better than us, but that doesn't take away from a great season.

"So what if I'm tired? I can rest when I die." -- Major Applewhite

by the1austin on Mar 30, 2008 4:27 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Considering we had 0 TO in the 2nd half, I'd

say they could have been prevented. I disagree, Texas was the better team.

Great team, great year.  Football season.

by jimmer on Mar 30, 2008 4:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Regrets?

Anybody still think a #2 seed in Houston against Memphis is better than a #1 in some other region?

by Caradoc on Mar 30, 2008 4:25 PM CDT   0 recs

Yes

#1 wasn't going to/didn't happen

by anonyMoose on Mar 30, 2008 6:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

exceeded all expectations...

but the more you win, the more it hurts to lose. If the starting 5 stays intact, I don't see us losing. Ever.

Here kitty kitty...

by bendj on Mar 30, 2008 4:43 PM CDT   0 recs

Congratulations, Rick and Horns.

Peter is exactly right; there's no question that Memphis is the superior team. After Memphis's wipe out of Michigan State, the result today can't be unexpected. Granted, we had some things happen to us that we're unaccustomed to, but they were the result of the opponent's excellent size, skill and athleticism. Also, I kept thinking how DJ's game is so un-NBA-like. He gets by on craft and vision and a well-rounded package of skills, but the hurt that Memphis inflicted shows the next level is about length, quickness, strength and leaping out of the gym to go along with the basketball skills. I should leave that question to the BON basketball authorities.

We'll be back better than ever next year and I can't wait. Great job fellas.

I'll never forget ol' what's-his-name.

by Horntod on Mar 30, 2008 4:50 PM CDT   0 recs

Disappointed with effort

It was a great season, with unexpected effort and contributions from players who didn't do so last year, but I can't help but feel that this game was lacking that significantly.  While watching, the only player who I truly thought gave 110% effort was Mason (as always).  Everyone else seemed a step slower than I'm used to, but that could also be because Memphis is scary fast and athletic.  It's difficult to articulate, but I just thought Texas could have and should have played harder, and it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I'm happy with the season, but upset with how it ended: it wasn't just a loss, it was a loss in which we never made our opponent think they didn't have the game in hand.

atsmahboy Kelson

by BigTexBD on Mar 30, 2008 4:52 PM CDT   0 recs

Kind of hard to judge who the "Better Team" is

if one of the teams shits the bed and dosen't bother to show up.  Just as others have commented, I've been pleased with the season as a whole, but unfortunately Texas was off today.

I wouldn't say Memphis is the better team.  They lost to Tennessee who we beat by about 20.  Augustin was off on everything today.  I think he missed at least 3 layups. Others were taking low percentage shots repeatedly.  On the defensive end, we had multiple steals that we either kicked out of bounds or turned right back over to Memphis.

Justin Mason was by far the only one with a good head on his shoulders today.  The rest were pretty frustrating to watch.  

If there was a year to win a National Title, THAT was it.  A six loss team in the top ten nearly all year with a Regional and Final Four in your home state.

Guess we'll wait until football season now.  Sure hope Colt McCoy has recovered from his sophmore slump because I won't watch another year of him throwing INTs.

Overall, a respectable achievement by the Horns basketball team this year. Hope we have some talent stick around for next year.

"I asked Darrell Royal, why he didn't recruit me and he said: "Well, Walt, we took a look at you and you weren't any good." W Garrison Oklahoma State

by 512 on Mar 30, 2008 4:58 PM CDT   0 recs

Oh you will watch

Even if McCoy has more Ints than TDs

because you are a fan.

by Wells on Mar 30, 2008 5:04 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah your right...

but I won't be happy about it.

"I asked Darrell Royal, why he didn't recruit me and he said: "Well, Walt, we took a look at you and you weren't any good." W Garrison Oklahoma State

by 512 on Mar 30, 2008 5:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm going to miss

watching these guys.  They were an extremely entertaining and likable bunch.

Memphis is the better team.  We could have played better, but Memphis had a lot to do with our performance.  Hats off to the Tigers. Congrats and thank you to Rick and the boys for a very memorable season.

Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.

by zamm on Mar 30, 2008 5:37 PM CDT   0 recs

Everyone has a off day sometime

I'm sad that the team didn't seem to mesh today, and the shooting was not on par for our season, but i'm really proud of this team.  They have been a joy to watch, and got to places this year no one expected them too.

This was so often a true team, and there isn't one person on this team that I don't really like - I can't say that for teams in the past.  Great season horns, glad you gave it your all.

by PSUhorn on Mar 30, 2008 6:34 PM CDT   0 recs

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