The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
West Virginia
Men's Basketball preview: vs. West Virginia [Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship | March 13, 2014]
03.10.2014 | Men's Basketball
Texas enters Thursday’s contest against West Virginia with an 11-3 mark in Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship quarterfinal games during the Rick Barnes era.
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No. 3 seed Texas (22-9, 11-7 Big 12) vs. No. 6 seed West Virginia (17-14, 9-9 Big 12)
Thursday, March 13, 2014 - 8:30 p.m. Central
Sprint Center (18,972) - Kansas City, Mo.
GAMEDAY QUICK FACTS
• TELEVISION: The game will be televised regionally by Big 12 Network. Dave Armstrong (pxp), Reid Gettys (analyst) and Holly Rowe (reporter) will call the action. Check www.TexasSports.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game.
• RADIO: The Longhorn Sports Network and KVET (FM 98.1/1300AM Sportsradio the Zone) broadcast every UT game on the statewide network. Craig Way (pxp) and Eddie Oran (analyst) will call the action. Check www.TexasSports.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game.
• SERIES: Texas leads, 4-3. Last meeting: Texas 88-71 (Feb. 15, 2014; Austin, Texas)
NOTABLES
• Success in Big 12 Quarterfinals
Texas enters Thursday's contest against West Virginia with an 11-3 mark in Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship quarterfinal games during the Rick Barnes era. UT has reached at least the semifinal round of the Big 12 Championship in 11 of its first 15 trips under Barnes.
• Coach of the Year, Again
Rick Barnes was tabbed the Big 12 Coach of the Year by the league's coaches. This marked the fourth time that Barnes has claimed the honor (1999, 2003, 2008 and 2014), tying Kansas' Bill Self for most Coach of the Year accolades in Big 12 history.
• Holmes Leads by Consistent Example
Junior forward Jonathan Holmes earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors by the league's coaches. He leads the team in scoring (13.0 ppg), ranks second on the team in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and third in blocks (37) while averaging 24.1 minutes per contest. Holmes has reached double figures in scoring in 22 of his 28 games played and has converted 51.3% (123-of-240) from the floor this season.
TEXAS VS. WEST VIRGINIA
• Five of the seven games between Texas and West Virginia have been decided by four points or less, including one in overtime. The cumulative series score is 508-483 in favor of Texas.
• The largest margin of victory in the series came in the most recent 88-71 win by Texas in Austin.
• UT's most memorable win in the series came in a 74-71 victory courtesy of a Kenton Paulino three-pointer at the buzzer in the 2006 NCAA "Sweet 16" in Atlanta.
• This is the first meeting between the Longhorns and Mountaineers in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship.
Texas in Conference Tournaments
Texas holds a 43-36 (.544) all-time record in league tournament games, including a 22-17 (.564) mark in its previous 17 trips to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. In 15 appearances during the Rick Barnes era, UT has posted a 20-15 (.571) mark in the Big 12 Championship. Texas has reached the finals of its league postseason tourney 11 times in the last 23 years, including five times in the Southwest Conference (1991, 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996) and six times in the Big 12 (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011). UT has claimed two conference postseason tourney titles, both coming during its time in the SWC (1994 and 1995).
Success in the Big 12 Championship
The Horns have reached at least the semifinal round in 12 of their first 17 appearances in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, including 11 of their first 15 trips under Rick Barnes. The Longhorns have advanced to the title game of the Big 12 Championship in five of the last 10 years (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011).
Success in the Big 12 Quarterfinal Round
Texas enters Thursday's contest with an 11-3 mark in Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship quarterfinal games during the Rick Barnes era.
Familiar Surroundings
The Longhorns have already played two contests earlier this year at Sprint Center. Texas participated in the CBE Hall of Fame Championship Rounds on Nov. 25-26. The Horns dropped an 86-82 decision to BYU (Nov. 25) in the semifinal round, before posting a 77-59 victory against DePaul (Nov. 26) in the consolation game.
Big 12 Conference Awards
A total of five University of Texas players earned spots on the 2013-14 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Award teams, the league office announced March 9. In addition, Rick Barnes was named Coach of the Year for the fourth time (1999, 2003, 2008 and 2014), tying Kansas coach Bill Self for most Coach of the Year accolades in Big 12 history. Junior forward Jonathan Holmes earned a spot on the five-person All-Big 12 Second Team, while sophomore guard Javan Felix, sophomore center Cameron Ridley and freshman guard Isaiah Taylor were among 12 individuals to claim a spot on the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team. In addition, sophomore guard Demarcus Holland and Ridley were both named to the six-person Big 12 All-Defensive Team, while Taylor earned a spot on the five-person Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. The official All-Big 12 awards are selected by the league's head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
