Texas Falls To Missouri in Big 12 Semis

Texas lost to eventual Big 12 tournament champions Missouri on Friday night.  The loss means Texas will have to sweat out a Selection Sunday for the first time in a long time.  Texas should have beaten Missouri, but the Longhorns inability to make shots doomed them.  Before the game I talked about how Texas needed to make shots in order to win.  They did not do that on Friday night.  Texas shot 42% from the field to Missouri’s 53%, 39% from behind the arc to Missouri’s 46% and 57% from the free throw line to Missouri’s 73%.  Those numbers explain why Texas lost.  The Longhorns inability to make shots has cost them a lot of games this season and it cost them again Friday night.  The bad part was that they did a lot of things well.  Texas out-rebounded Missouri by 10 and forced Tigers to commit 4 more turnovers than they did.

Despite the poor shooting, Texas was right in the game throughout the 1st half and in the first 4 minutes of the 2nd half.  The turning point came when J’Covan Brown got hurt.  After making a tough left handed layup, Brown’s momentum carried him into the row of photographers.  He either hit his hand on their equipment or the floor.  He was down for several minutes after the fall.  He would eventually return to the game, but by the time he got back, Missouri had taken total control.  The Tigers went on a 9-0 run immediately following Brown’s injury.  The game was never in doubt after that run.  Missouri would continue to stretch their lead, and even got their lead to as much as 17, before winning by a score of 81-67.

What Lies Ahead For Texas:

A very nervous Selection Sunday.  Texas should be in the field of 68, but you just never know.

Game Notes:

– J’Covan Brown led Texas with 21 points and 8 rebounds

– Jonathan Holmes continued to show flashes of brilliance.  He scored 11 points and pulled down 4 rebounds.

– Sheldon McClellan struggled shooting the ball, but he still finished with 10 points and 4 rebounds.

– Jaylen Bond continued to do his best Damion James impression.  Bond pulled down 8 rebounds in just 19 minutes of play.