Loss dashes hopes of Big 12 crown
FORT WORTH — Earlier this week, before Texas bussed up I-35 for Wednesday night’s clash with No. 22 TCU, interim coach Texas Rodney Terry spoke about the significance of the calendar flipping from February to March.
“February was separation month for us,” Terry said. “March is going to be about finishing. You have to finish halves, you have to finish your cuts, you have to finish possessions. And the teams that embrace that, they get a chance to advance deep into March. We’re at that juncture of the season right now.”
The ninth-ranked Longhorns had managed to separate and claw their way near the top of the Big 12 standings during those previous 28 days. And by sweeping its season series with TCU for the fourth straight season, Texas would set itself up to play for a share of the Big 12 championship in Saturday’s regular-season finale against first-place Kansas.
But these Longhorns, authors of three separate double-digit comebacks since Terry took charge Dec. 11, couldn’t finish off what would have been the biggest win and most monumental rally of the year, one that would have positioned them for a shot at their first conference title since 2008.
TCU led from start to finish in its 75-73 win over Texas at Schollmaier Arena on Wednesday night, its victory also sealing an outright Big 12 championship for No. 3 Kansas.
The Horned Frogs (2010, 9-8 Big 12) outrebounded Texas (22-8, 11-6) by a 23-8 margin in the first half and 46-28 for the game.
“It’s disappointing, especially for the seniors,” Texas fifth-year forward Timmy Allen said.
After a slow start, Texas finally puffed its chest out and asserted itself in the second half.
The Texas guards used full-court pressure to pester TCU into a slew of turnovers to narrow a 14-point deficit to just three with 62 seconds left after sophomore guard Tyrese Hunter (15 points) buried an open 3-pointer from the wing.
But as Terry alluded to before, March is about finishing. And while Texas generated the stop it wanted, it didn’t track down the final rebound it so desperately needed.
When Mike Miles Jr.’s layup rattled off the rim with 27 seconds left, redshirt senior forward Chuck O’Bannon chased down TCU’s 15th and final offensive rebound. Texas sent Damian Baugh to the foul line six seconds later, and he hit both to put the Horned Frogs up five.
TCU answered a quick Texas layup with a run-out dunk to ice the game. And after Sir’Jabari Rice’s meaningless last-second 3 fell through the net, a flood of fans rushed onto the court to bask in the Longhorns’ misery.