Okie State stuffs UT, 69-58
[caption id="attachment_24045" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Myles Turner. (Will Gallagher/IT)[/caption]
STILLWATER -- In the clutch moments of the game, Phil Forte calmly knocked down a 3-pointer off a pump fake, a step back jumper off the dribble, stole an inbounds pass from Myles Turner and hit two free throws.
In the clutch moments of the game, Texas got a missed runner from Felix, a turnover from Turner, a missed dunk from Turner and two missed threes from Taylor.
It was a much better showing than the blowout loss to Oklahoma on Monday, but it was still an uneven, frustrating afternoon as Texas dropped its third game in the last five outings and fell to 1-2 in the best conference in the country in a 69-58 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Offense:
If Holmes and Taylor combine to shoot 13%, Texas is going to win zero games. They just can’t overcome that kind of lack of production from two of their best three scorers.
But that’s what they got when Jonathan and Isaiah combined to go a horrid 3-22 from the floor (Holmes was 2-19 this week).
While it’s tough to say something like this, besides the struggles of those two, Texas was just fine on offense (the rest of the team shot 47% from the floor and was 7-12 from three). They did a better job of taking care of the ball (9 turnovers). They did a better job of attacking the paint (26 points in the paint). They were quicker and more effective with their passing and ball movement (12 assists on 21 made shots). They hit the offensive glass hard (17 offensive rebounds).
It’s just not going to happen for Texas if Holmes and Taylor are that ineffective with their production.
Defense:
Everybody knows the drill. If you play OSU, the focus is on limiting Nash and Forte.
Easier said than done, but the Cowboys’ inside-outside combo crushed Texas to the tune of 40 points on 17-29 shooting.
The troubling part about the game was that both players were able to play to their strengths and scored how they scored (Nash in the paint and Forte around the perimeter). Texas did not pull them out of their comfort zone or make them be aggressive in areas that are more difficult for them.
No matter the game, eventually basketball boils down to making shots. OSU’s best players made them. Texas’ didn’t.
A Look at the Numbers:
The Cowboys shot 47.3% (26-55) overall, 52.9% (9-17) from three, and 57.1% (8-14) from the line.
Texas shot 34.4% (21-61) overall, 33.3% (7-21) from three, and 60% (9-15) from the line.
Both teams had 37 rebounds while OSU had more assists (14-12) and Texas had fewer turnovers (9-10).
Star of the Game: Myles Turner
It wasn’t the cleanest of games for Texas’ star freshman, but he was clearly the Longhorns’ most effective offensive player as he went a scorching 4-4 from deep.
Turner (18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks) did a great job of finding his shot on the offensive end and pushing the issue quickly before OSU’s guards had a chance to bring down the double team. Nice game by Myles in the losing effort.
The Endgame:
If you take games simply as they are, this isn’t a terrible loss. Nash and Forte shot 66% combined and Texas was still within five points with three minutes to play.
But how can Texas fans take this game as a one time event?
Texas has now shown they can lose when they play terribly and they can lose when they play okay.
Now, they are forced to play in the toughest conference in the country from behind the eight ball as they have dropped two winnable games with a game at West Virginia looming next Saturday before visiting TCU, hosting Kansas and going to Iowa State.
Texas got some things figured out between Monday and today, but it wasn’t enough and it won’t be enough until Texas’ best players start producing like they’re capable of.
Myles Turner. (Will Gallagher/IT)[/caption]
STILLWATER -- In the clutch moments of the game, Phil Forte calmly knocked down a 3-pointer off a pump fake, a step back jumper off the dribble, stole an inbounds pass from Myles Turner and hit two free throws.
In the clutch moments of the game, Texas got a missed runner from Felix, a turnover from Turner, a missed dunk from Turner and two missed threes from Taylor.
It was a much better showing than the blowout loss to Oklahoma on Monday, but it was still an uneven, frustrating afternoon as Texas dropped its third game in the last five outings and fell to 1-2 in the best conference in the country in a 69-58 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Offense:
If Holmes and Taylor combine to shoot 13%, Texas is going to win zero games. They just can’t overcome that kind of lack of production from two of their best three scorers.
But that’s what they got when Jonathan and Isaiah combined to go a horrid 3-22 from the floor (Holmes was 2-19 this week).
While it’s tough to say something like this, besides the struggles of those two, Texas was just fine on offense (the rest of the team shot 47% from the floor and was 7-12 from three). They did a better job of taking care of the ball (9 turnovers). They did a better job of attacking the paint (26 points in the paint). They were quicker and more effective with their passing and ball movement (12 assists on 21 made shots). They hit the offensive glass hard (17 offensive rebounds).
It’s just not going to happen for Texas if Holmes and Taylor are that ineffective with their production.
Defense:
Everybody knows the drill. If you play OSU, the focus is on limiting Nash and Forte.
Easier said than done, but the Cowboys’ inside-outside combo crushed Texas to the tune of 40 points on 17-29 shooting.
The troubling part about the game was that both players were able to play to their strengths and scored how they scored (Nash in the paint and Forte around the perimeter). Texas did not pull them out of their comfort zone or make them be aggressive in areas that are more difficult for them.
No matter the game, eventually basketball boils down to making shots. OSU’s best players made them. Texas’ didn’t.
A Look at the Numbers:
The Cowboys shot 47.3% (26-55) overall, 52.9% (9-17) from three, and 57.1% (8-14) from the line.
Texas shot 34.4% (21-61) overall, 33.3% (7-21) from three, and 60% (9-15) from the line.
Both teams had 37 rebounds while OSU had more assists (14-12) and Texas had fewer turnovers (9-10).
Star of the Game: Myles Turner
It wasn’t the cleanest of games for Texas’ star freshman, but he was clearly the Longhorns’ most effective offensive player as he went a scorching 4-4 from deep.
Turner (18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks) did a great job of finding his shot on the offensive end and pushing the issue quickly before OSU’s guards had a chance to bring down the double team. Nice game by Myles in the losing effort.
The Endgame:
If you take games simply as they are, this isn’t a terrible loss. Nash and Forte shot 66% combined and Texas was still within five points with three minutes to play.
But how can Texas fans take this game as a one time event?
Texas has now shown they can lose when they play terribly and they can lose when they play okay.
Now, they are forced to play in the toughest conference in the country from behind the eight ball as they have dropped two winnable games with a game at West Virginia looming next Saturday before visiting TCU, hosting Kansas and going to Iowa State.
Texas got some things figured out between Monday and today, but it wasn’t enough and it won’t be enough until Texas’ best players start producing like they’re capable of.
