Three Thoughts on Texas’ 62-58 Loss To Tennessee
The Texas Longhorns lost to the Tennessee Volunteers, 62-58, in a second-round game in the NCAA Tournament in Charlotte, N.C.
It was not a high-level offensive game. Tennessee (26-8) made just three 3-pointers the entire game. Texas (21-13) actually shot better than the Vols but committed too many turnovers and couldn’t climb the mountain late in the game.
Tyrese Hunter and Chendall Weaver led Texas with 13 points, while the Vols held Max Abmas to 10 points. Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht had 18 points, with seven of that coming from the free-throw line.
Here are three thoughts on the game.
DO THESE TEAMS LIKE OFFENSE?
At the under-8 time out of the second half Tennessee led, 45-42. Both teams were shooting less than 35%.
Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht hadn’t connected on a 3-pointer (he finally made one late). In fact, Tennessee had just one 3-pointer period.
Texas actually had five 3-pointers, but the Longhorns had 16 turnovers. In fact, Tyrese Hunter and Max Abmas had a combined 10 points and 10 turnovers 34 minutes into the game.
This was an ugly game. It was like Virginia from the First Four and Colorado State from the First Round inhabited these two teams for most of the game.
Both are better shooting teams than what they showed on Saturday. It was, at times, hard to watch.
But, because the game was close, at least we got a compelling finish, right?
YEP, WE DID
Tennessee led, 47-42, with six minutes left and maintained that lead but Texas wasn’t going away. Dylan Disu drained a 3-pointer and then Hunter made a layup to cut Tennessee’s lead to two points with 1:44 left.
From there, it was a bit of a chess match. Tennessee never lost the lead. Texas had some good chances to tie. The Longhorns cut it to one at one point on a Abmas lay-up with 35 seconds left.
Texas had to play the foul game. Fouling Jonas Aidoo, a 62% foul shooter, didn’t work out with 24 seconds left. He made both to push Tennessee back up three.
Abmas shot for the tie with a corner 3-pointer with two defenders on him and he missed. Texas fouled Knecht and he made both to push Tennessee up five. Hunter made a 3-pointer with four seconds left to make it a two-point game. Texas fouled Knecht again. He made both. That was the game.
So, compelling, yes. But no buzzer beater.
CURTAIN CLOSES ON TEXAS
With that, the Texas men’s basketball team is done representing the Big 12. Come July, the Longhorns will be in the SEC.
The Longhorns leave the Big 12 with three regular-season crowns (1999, 2006, 2008) and two Big 12 Tournament titles (2021, 2023). Oddly enough, all three of the Big 12 regular-season titles came under the leadership of current Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, who led the Vols against his former assistant, Texas head coach Rodney Terry.
Texas represented the Big 12 in the NCAA Tournament 23 times, with Barnes taking Texas to the Final Four in 2003.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
