Short-handed Longhorns running out of opportunities
AUSTIN — The Longhorns arrived in Lawrence, Kan., a wounded animal in a desperate state.
A sprained toe prevented Mo Bamba from playing. Eric Davis was held out again as the school conducts an internal investigation into allegations he received $1,500 from ASM Sports agent Christian Dawkins.
Andrew Jones was released from the MD Anderson Cancer Center over the weekend — a tremendous development — but his battle with leukemia is far from over.
So, rolling with essentially a six-man rotation, Texas chose fight over flight.
Kerwin Roach gave everything he had and then some, literally retching into a trash can late in the first half, apparently the result of some questionable ravioli, per Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman. Still, the junior guard finished with 18 points and eight assists, with most of the helpers coming in the second half as point guard Matt Coleman battled foul trouble.
Texas (17-13, 7-10 Big 12) narrowed the gap to eight points with 3:39 remaining, then got within seven with 80 seconds left. The effort ultimately wasn’t enough as Kansas clinched its 14th straight Big 12 title.
UT’s inability to manufacture an upset boiled down to Bamba’s absence. The Jayhawks shot 67 percent inside the arc and scored 52 points in the paint.
Porous interior defense
Whether it was big man Udoka Azubuike (20 points) bull-rushing defenders or Devonte’ Graham (11 assists) finding teammates slashing to the rim, the Longhorns’ interior defense held about a well as a dam assembled with Elmer’s glue and popsicle sticks.
“That’s what we were emphasizing,” Graham told reporters. “They didn’t have a rim protector, because Bamba’s one of a kind.”
Graham’s absolutely right. When healthy and fully engaged on both ends, Bamba can alter the complexion of any game. No one else in the nation, let alone in the Texas locker room, can replicate exactly what he does.
Jericho Sims has stepped up to average 11.5 points on 63 percent shooting and 7.5 rebounds the last two games, but he’s not an all-encompassing force of nature like Bamba. Burly forward Dylan Osetkowski has blocked only five shots in 1,305 minutes. Sophomore center James Banks has been unable to crack the rotation all season, even with Bamba injured.
Bamba’s status uncertain
There’s at best a 50-50 chance the ludicrously long freshman will be available for Saturday’s regular-season finale against No. 20 WVU, and even if he does play, Bamba won’t be at 100 percent.
The Mountaineers ran UT right out of Morgantown earlier this year in an 86-51 thrashing. It clogged the lane and dared the Longhorns, the nation’s 17thworst (out of 351) 3-point shooting team, to settle for outside jumpers. Bamba had little room to operate, and coach Bob Huggins will likely employ the same strategy in Austin.
To have any chance of toppling WVU, Texas must retain the spirit it showed against Kansas, with or without Bamba. Getting Davis back would be a considerable boost, too, considering Huggins’ preferred strategy and penchant for nearly constant full-court pressure.
A loss Saturday could lock Texas into the National Invitation Tournament, barring a magical run in the Big 12 tournament. Bamba will do all he can to get back on the court by then, but UT must prepare as if he won’t be.
Texas is still wounded, still desperate. But, even without Bamba, it’s not done just yet.