The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
14-8, 3-6
Oklahoma State
15-7, 5-5
No. 25/rv Men's Basketball falls in overtime to Oklahoma State, 65-63
02.04.2015 | Men's Basketball
Longhorns drop overtime game after second-half comeback.
AUSTIN, Texas – Isaiah Taylor scored a game-high 18 points, while Demarcus Holland added 14 points, including 4-of-4 from deep, but the No. 25/rv Texas Longhorns fell to Oklahoma State, 65-63 in overtime, on Wednesday night at the Erwin Center.
In the first overtime contest against the Cowboys (15-7, 5-5 Big 12) since a triple-overtime contest in Stillwater on Jan. 16, 2007, Texas (14-8, 3-6 Big 12) did not make a field goal in the extra period, which saw four ties and two lead changes. The Horns scored all seven of their overtime points from the charity stripe.
Holland shot 5-of-6 from the field and scored nine of his 14 points in the second half off three 3-pointers. Cam Ridley added 12 points, five rebounds and three blocks. Taylor also dished out three assists tonight and has averaged 17.4 points and 5.6 assists over the last five games.
Texas shot 44.7 percent (21-of-47) from the field, including 5-of-10 from long range, and held the Cowboys to a 38.5 field goal percentage (20-of-52). The Longhorns committed 13 turnovers in the first half, but only turned the ball over five more times the rest of the game.
After trailing since the 17:54 mark of the first half, Taylor scored the final six points of regulation for Texas to tie the game for the first time at 56-all to send it overtime.
The Cowboys led by 15 (34-19), the largest lead of the night, with 2:05 remaining in the first half. Holland scored five points late in the half to pull Texas to within 35-24 at the break.
Le'Bryan Nash led the Cowboys with 17 points, including six in the overtime period.
Texas heads to Manhattan, Kansas, to face the Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. Central at Bramlage Coliseum, and the game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Oklahoma State 65, No. 25/nr Texas 63 (ot)
February 4, 2015
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 11,954
Team Notes
Texas lost to Oklahoma State for just the second time in the last 11 meetings at the Erwin Center (dating back to the 2004-05 season).
UT fell to 0-2 in overtime games this year. The Horns had won their previous four overtime contests entering the 2014-15 season.
Reached double figures in scoring (14 points) for the seventh time this year and 18th time in his career (91 games)
Set a career high in three-point field goals made (4-of-4) and minutes played (42)
Reached double figures in scoring (12 points) for the eighth time this year and 30th time in his career (90 games)
His three blocked shots moved him into sixth place on the UT career blocked shots list (161)
Reached double figures in scoring (18 points) for the ninth time this year (12 games) and 36th time in his career (47 games)
Set a career high in minutes played (43)
Set a career high in minutes played (37)
Texas Quotes
Head Coach Rick Barnes
On poor first half: It's execution. It comes back where all five guys, and that's what we had talked about. We knew exactly what we wanted to come out and get into at the very start and we didn't. Three straight times in a row and that is disappointing. But I think that when you go through what we're going through right now, I think players are looking around. The very first time down the floor when we ran, we had guys open for layups. Kendal got one there and I actually said to the guys, "we have to make those plays." Those are plays that we make in practice. If the guy's open, you have to give him the ball. It's a fine line. Mentally, players want to win. There's no doubt about it, but you can't ever be hesitant playing any game. We have a group of guys that work at it, but we can't doubt ourselves in games when the ball has to move. Our real problem has been consistency. I told the guards after the Baylor game that we have to get consistent guard play. I thought our guards were terrific (tonight). Demarcus Holland tonight was great. He wasn't good, he was great. What he had to do out there and the way he played and fought. But tonight we didn't get what we wanted to get from the post players. It goes back to where from game-to-game, who can we count on. At halftime I told them that we have to go out and believe in what we're doing and you guys have got to play. We have to flow with all five guys. In the second half I thought our guys were terrific defensively.
On thoughts about the team after continuous bad first halves: I have no doubt in the group of guys we have here. What it goes back to is the fine line with execution. All five guys have to be playing together. All five guys have to be fluid. We talked yesterday about what we were going to run to start the game and that I can't explain. But I do know that I have a group of guys that are hurting, and I hurt for them. But I also know that I have a group of guys that if we can put it all together, we can be awfully good. It can't be one night the guards are playing and one night the post guys are playing. It has to be everybody.
On frustration of not playing as well in the first half as you do in the second half: Well, again, when I think about where we are right now, I'm disappointed for a lot of people. I can't tell you what our administration has done to this arena and brought this kind of energy here. If (you) think back and (had we) stayed healthy and done everything that we've done here, we could really have things where we want them. I was proud of our fans tonight and I thought they stayed with us. I don't think that Demarcus Holland can play 42 minutes and Isaiah 43 minutes and Kendal 37. That's hard what they did, but they just dug down and did it. I told people before the game that I thought Kendal would really settle in and do some things and he did. They went zone and I do think fatigue had a factor, because we turned down some shots that we would normally take. We used two time outs to rest guys early. I thought in the second half Isaiah really settled in. He had a couple of plays that fatigue got him at the end of the clock. We aren't going to play perfect, you don't have to. But we still have too many possessions that weren't quality possessions early in the game. But we have to move on.
On keeping the team from going south: Well I think all we have is tomorrow. We get up tomorrow and I will tell you that I thought our guys responded with what we tried to get done. The fact of the matter is Jon Holmes played 10 minutes and didn't score. Javan Felix wasn't a part of it, but that happens, and I just know these guys and how hard they work. I thought Isaiah bounced back in a good way and Demarcus Holland, I've said before, has been the most consistent guy we've had all year and someone you can count on. That's part of athletics and you see some things happen and you don't know why. Sometimes you overthink it, and I'm not going to do that. It would have been great for us to find a way to win that game tonight, because of where we were and what we've had to deal with. Now it's up to me and my staff to make sure they know that if we put it all together, we could go on a run and do this. But it's not about a run right now. It's about tomorrow and bouncing back.
Sophomore Guard Isaiah Taylor
On how tough the loss was: We came out the second half and we fought. We had a chance to win the game, but just couldn't pull it off. It was tough, real tough.
On what was different in the two halves: We just came out and attacked (in the second half). We weren't hesitant, we weren't scared, we just played fearless in the second half. That's how we have to play always. Just from the start we have to attack the basket.
On if he feels like something is fundamentally wrong: We have to come out with the mindset that we're going to be aggressive. We can't stare down the post, we can't be hesitant to make passes to the open man.
On the confidence level of the team: The confidence is still high — we're still a good team. There is no doubt about that in my mind that we are still a good team. We still have great players on this team. We just didn't get a win.
On what coach Rick Barnes said to them in the locker room: He's not down, not down at all. None of the coaching staff are down. They are glad that we fought in the second half. They were just reiterating that we have to have that fight the whole game. We have to come out the first four minutes of each game and have that type of fight and attitude.
Junior Guard Demarcus Holland
On if this team feels similar to the team that fell apart two years ago: No this team is way different than that team. We still have a lot of confidence moving forward. As hard as it seems to understand that, we trust each other and we all believe in the system. We all know that we still have a lot of games to play. We don't have one selfish body on this team, and I think that everyone on this team can compete at a high level. I trust my teammates, so we aren't panicking.
On what happened when Phil Forte got to the line to set up game-winning free throws: Guarding a guy like that in a ball-screen, you don't want to go under on him because he can stop and shoot a 3-point jumper, his best shot. Then you don't want to get too close to him and let him go all the way to the lane, but if you do let him get to the lane, you hope your big men can get a clean block. Forte was good at using his body and getting into Cameron [Ridley]'s body, and he nailed his free throws.
On if he felt like he wanted to have the ball: I was just playing within the system. When Isaiah penetrates, if I'm open, I'll take the shot. It wasn't like I felt like I deserved anything. I was just going to take whatever opportunity I was given. I was just playing my role - playing defense and spotting up.
On if he felt like he made a conscious decision to shoot: Yeah, Isaiah got us in the huddle and he told us that we needed to stay aggressive. He was being a great leader. We all followed and fed off his energy. He was attacking the paint and getting easy layups. Once he starts driving, people start helping and he told me to take my shot when I'm open because he trusts me. He gave me confidence, so every time I touched it and I was open, I was going to shoot it.
Oklahoma State Quotes
Head Coach Travis Ford
Opening statement: It was a great game, a great, hard-fought game by two teams who were really fighting for a win. You could tell both teams really had a great desire to win the game. They made a great run at us in the second half. One thing we had talked about as a basketball team the last couple of days is getting off to a good start, and we did that. We got off to a very good start today. Our kids really battled. Obviously, we have a great amount of respect for Texas and their rebounding. We've really talked about that a lot in the last two days. I thought our guys really did a great job of blocking out and really being physical in the paint. We were really physical, and I was proud of our team's toughness in that manner. It wasn't the prettiest game. These two guys (Le'Bryan Nash and Phil Forte), obviously you know how much we rely on these guys. They were trying. They took good shots, but they weren't always falling for them. It was a rough night, but we had other guys step up. (Jeff) Newberry gave us great minutes early in the game, very good minutes early. Anthony Hickey played a heck of a game. Everybody stepped up and played well for us. A very good win for our team. I'm proud of how hard they played. We really did exactly, as far as scouting report, what we were trying to do, and I was proud of them for the execution.
On the second half: I thought [Texas] was pretty good the second half. Personally, I thought they were pretty good. They did what they needed to do to come back, and I didn't think we played bad in the second half. I really just thought Texas played well. They made shots, they rebounded the ball, and they kind of played to their strengths a little bit. They got some second shots, second opportunity points, which we didn't give up in the first half. We didn't give those up. We got it back up to a double digit lead, and then they started getting some 3's. They did what they were supposed to. I thought Texas played well the second half. Obviously, we went through our scouting report, and we really concentrated on ourselves more than anything. We talked about how we needed to play. What did we need to do to try to get a win? We talked about that for the last couple of days – what makes our team a good basketball team? What does that mean? I thought we played to our strengths tonight.
Senior Forward Le'Bryan Nash
On what the win means to him: It was a big one. It's our first road win. We wanted the first road win so bad, so getting it against Texas is a good thing for us and a good thing for our team. We've just got to keep working. We've got a long season ahead of us, and we've got more road wins that we need to get. It's a battle every game. It's the Big 12, the best conference. I don't want to be anywhere else.
On his second half scoring eruption: Our shots were falling in the second half and in overtime, especially in overtime. When my team needs me the most, I try to step up the best way I can and be more aggressive. My shots were falling, and I was getting to the hole. They were all good shots, they just weren't falling. I'm glad the basketball Gods blessed me in overtime and some of them went in.
Junior Guard Phil Forte
On the free-throw line late in the game: They were trying to not let me get it. I need to do a better job of just trying to go get the ball. The guys that we have up there, we have all of the confidence that they'll make those shots. They've made them before in practice and in other games. We're not really worried about them missing those. They'll make them, and we have the confidence that they'll make them.
On wanting to be the guy at the line: It's easy because my teammates want me up there. I feel like they have more confidence sometimes than I do. When I get fouled, they always run to me and tell me 'This is automatic. You've got it Phil, you've got it Phil'. That's always reassuring when you play with teammates like that.
