Osetkowski pours in 26 to extend career
AUSTIN — The biggest obstacle for coach Shaka Smart was convincing his team to refocus, to channel whatever rage and frustration and disappointment it felt from missing out on the NCAA Tournament into Tuesday’s NIT game against South Dakota State.
Smart’s worries seemed assuaged early — until his fears were nearly realized during a frantic and somehow familiar finish.
No. 2 seed Texas did just enough to a prevent what would have been another epic collapse, defeating No. 7 seed South Dakota State 79-73 Tuesday night at the Erwin Center.
“Getting them to refocus, that’s the biggest challenge,” Smart said Sunday night. “I think the teams that advance in the NIT in any given year, that’s one thing they’re able to do.”
The Longhorns (17-16) looked impassioned early on, even as a sparse crowd of 1,739 provided minimal outside energy to tap into and feed off.
Texas steamrolled the Summit League’s regularseason champion over the first five minutes, building a 19-0 lead on the strength of a handful of 3-pointers and stifling defense on Jackrabbits forward and focal point Mike Daum, one of just 10 Division I players to eclipse 3,000 career points.
A 14-2 South Dakota State run midway through the first half narrowed the gap from 19 points to just 3. Texas responded with four 3s over the final four minutes, part of an 11-of-23 3-point shooting barrage.
Texas seemed ready to put down the plucky Jackrabbits early in the second half. Dylan Osetkowski buried a couple of 3s. Kerwin Roach II got to the line and hit a pair of free throws. Jericho Sims finished a layup inside off a slick pass from Courtney Ramey as Texas rebuilt the lead to 12.
Still, the Jackrabbits (24-9) kept coming.
With 8:32 remaining, guard David Jenkins shed his defender, rumbled down the lane and released a high-arching tear drop in the lane. It gave the Jackrabbits a 65-64 lead, their first of the game.
“All day long I kept thinking, I want the season to continue,” Smart said. “I want to keep playing. Definitely proud of the way our guys finished the game, because we’ve obviously had our tough close losses.”
The last few minutes turned into a back-andforth clash of senior bigs, Daum vs. Osetkowski. The former finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds, the latter with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting.
“We’re playing in March. It’s another day to play the game that we love,” Osetkowski said. “I just came out with an aggressive mindset. Just wanted to make my mark on the game.”
“He certainly did not feel good about the way his senior day went,” Smart said of Osetkowski. “One of the, I guess silver linings of being in the NIT is he gets to play another game here. And now another game.”
Texas will next face the winner of Wednesday’s matchup between No. 3 seed Xavier and No. 6 seed Toledo in a second-round game to be played at the Erwin Center.