Rice, Texas make a statement
AUSTIN, Texas — Kansas had already won the Big 12 championship by the time the Jayhawks made their last trip of the season down to Texas.
The Longhorns sent them home with a message: The league tournament promises to be every bit as rugged as the regular season.
Sir’Jabari Rice, a transfer from New Mexico State, scored 23 points and a smothering defensive effort carried No. 9 Texas to a 75-59 win over No. 3 Kansas (25-6, 13-5) on Saturday that earned the Longhorns a secondplace finish in the Big 12.
Texas entered the day in a three-way tie for second, but the win and losses by Kansas State and Baylor left the Longhorns (23-8, 12-6) alone in the spot. A loss at TCU four days earlier denied Texas a chance to earn a share of the league title.
“We wanted confidence going into postseason,” Rice said. “We had to get ourselves focused and re-centered (after the losses).”
Tyrese Hunter made 9 of 10 free throws and scored 20 points for the Longhorns .
Big 12 scoring and rebounding leader Jalen Wilson led Kansas with 23 points and 10 boards as the Jayhawks’ sevengame win streak ended.
The Big 12 champs and defending national champs won a league many consider the toughest in the country and are still a contender for a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament. The defending national champions head into the Big 12 tourney having won nine of their last 12.
“Our season is really just beginning now,” Wilson said. “We’re playing for a lot, trying to get a No. 1 overall seed. You can’t get too high after winning the conference and can’t get too low after a loss like this.”
Texas interim coach Rodney Terry’s future with the program was probably always going to depend on the Longhorns’ postseason success. He might have eased that pressure had Texas won at least a share of the program’s first conference title in 15 years. But finishing second with an emphatic win over the league champ is better than many would have predicted when Texas fired coach Chris Beard in midseason.
“My message is to continue to be a hungry team,” Terry, former UTEP coach, said. “I think we have a team as good as anybody.”
MORE RANKED VS. RANKED: In College Station, Texas, Wade Taylor scored 28 points and No. 24 Texas A&M (23-8, 15-3) beat No. 2 Alabama 67-61 Saturday, making its late free throws after Crimson Tide star Brandon Miller fouled out.
The loss snapped a fourgame winning streak for the Crimson Tide (26-5, 16-2 SEC). Alabama played the last two minutes minus Miller, who fouled out after scoring a team-leading 19 points. The Aggies hit 27 of 28 free throws.
In Coral Gables, Fla., Wooga Poplar made a career-best six 3-pointers for 18 points, and No. 16 Miami captured the No. 1 seed for the ACC Tournament by edging No. 25 Pittsburgh 78-76.
Miami (24-6, 15-5) shares the regular-season title with Virginia, which clinched its half of the crown with a 75-60 win over Louisville earlier Saturday. It’s Miami’s first No. 1 seed for the ACC tournament since 2013.
Blake Hinson had 24 points for Pitt (21-10, 14-6), which would have been the No. 1 seed with a win. AROUND THE MOUNTAIN (WEST): At Air Force Academy, Colo., visiting Omari Moore scored 33 points for visiting San Jose State (19-12, 10-8), which rallied from a 20-point second half deficit at Clune Arena for a 63-61 victory over the Falcons (14-17, 5-13). It’s the largest deficit overcome by the Spartans in a victory since entering the league.
San Jose State already was assured of the fifth seed in the upcoming league tournament when New Mexico lost Friday night at Colorado State.
Carter Murphy led the way for the Falcons with 17 points.
■ In Reno, Nev., Elijah Harkless scored 24 points and Jackie Johnson III added seven in the overtime as UNLV defeated Nevada 69-67, sending the Wolf Pack (22-9, 12-6) to its only home loss in the regularseason finale.
Harkless had eight rebounds for the Rebels (18-12, 7-11). Luis Rodriguez scored 14 points and added 13 rebounds. Jarod Lucas led Nevada (22-9, 12-6) with 23 points and six rebounds.
■ In Fresno, California, Jemarl Baker Jr. erupted for 43 points in a spectacular individual performance as the Bulldogs (11-19) closed their season with a 108-72 victory over visiting Chicago State. The Bulldogs had wrapped up their league schedule with the 94-80 loss Tuesday at New Mexico.
Baker, a 6-foot-5 guard, was 13-of-14 from the field and 10-of-11 on 3-point tries. He had a team-high 16 points four nights earlier against the Lobos.
■ In Logan, Utah, Taylor Funk had 24 points in Utah State’s 86-73 win over Boise State.
Funk also added eight rebounds for the Aggies (24-7, 13-5). Chibuzo Agbo finished with 18 points for the Broncos (23-8, 13-5).
THE RIVALRY: In Chapel Hill, N.C., Kyle Filipowski had 22 points and 13 rebounds and Duke pulled out a 62-57 win over North Carolina in their regularseason finale. The Blue Devils (23-8, 14-6) won their sixth straight game and clinched a double-bye in the ACC Tournament that begins Tuesday in Greensboro, N.C. UNC (19-12, 11-9) will be the seventh seed.
North Carolina’s Armando Bacot had 17 points and 11 rebounds for his 68th career double-double. With 1,795 points, he passed Michael Jordan (1,788) for 14th on UNC’s career scoring list.