The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
15-9, 5-6
Kansas State
17-7, 6-5
Men's Basketball falls to Kansas State, 67-64
02.07.2018 | Men's Basketball
Freshman forward Mohamed Bamba turned in his 12th double-double of the season.
AUSTIN, Texas –– Freshman forward Mohamed Bamba recorded his 12th double-double of the season, but Texas Men's Basketball fell to Kansas State, 67-64, on Wednesday night at the Frank Erwin Center. Bamba scored 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including a 5-of-7 clip from the free throw line, and added 12 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Junior guard Eric Davis Jr. posted 13 points and three boards in 32 minutes, while junior Dylan Osetkowski and freshmen Jericho Sims and Matt Coleman added eight points apiece. UT held an 11-3 margin in second-chance points and outrebounded KSU 36-26, including a 16-6 edge on the offensive glass. K-State shot 53.7 percent (29-54) in the contest.
Texas recorded 10 straight points over a 2:53 stretch to build an early seven-point (14-7) cushion after five minutes. Bamba connected from beyond the arc to put the Longhorns ahead 20-13 with 12:15 remaining in the first half. K-State trimmed the lead down to four (22-18) after a corner 3-pointer at the 9:22 mark.
The Longhorns trailed 27-26 with 3:58 remaining following a 12-4 Kansas State run, but UT regained the lead (33-30) after a Jase Febres 3-pointer and Bamba lay-in with 1:20 to play in the opening half. A Wildcat layup with 12 seconds evened the contest at 34-34 heading into the break.
Bamba led the Longhorns with 15 points and seven rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. Davis Jr. added eight points, while Sims went 3-of-4 from the field for six points. Texas shot 42 percent from the field in the first half and turned nine Wildcat turnovers into 13 points.
A 2:49 scoring drought for Texas allowed Kansas State to pull ahead by four (40-36) early in the second half. Junior guard Kerwin Roach II knocked down a three to give the Longhorns a 44-42 lead, but K-State responded on the opposite end with a jumper to even the contest at 44-44 with 13:56 to play. UT led 49-46 at the 10-minute mark after holding Kansas State scoreless for three minutes and receiving five straight points from Osetkowski.
The Wildcats utilized a 11-2 run over a 3:17 period to take a 59-54 lead at the 4:29 mark. A corner three fell for Roach II to bring the Longhorns within two (61-59) with 2:43 to play, but K-State answered with a 3-pointer of its own. Roach II picked up an offensive rebound and kicked it out to Davis Jr. for his third three of the contest, as UT trailed 66-64 with 44 seconds remaining.
Kansas State missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but a Texas pass was deflected on the opposite end, forcing UT to foul with three seconds left. The Wildcats hit 1-of-2 from the free throw line and a Longhorn shot at the buzzer fell short. Dean Wade paced the Wildcats with 16 points.
Texas travels to face TCU in Fort Worth, Texas on Saturday, Feb. 10. Tip is set for 1 p.m. Central at Schollmaier Arena, and the game will be nationally televised on ESPNU.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Kansas State 67, Texas 64
February 7, 2018
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 9,211
Team Notes
- Texas fell to 15-20 in the all-time series against Kansas State. UT dropped to 9-8 all-time against the Wildcats in games played in Austin.
- UT fell to 498-122 all-time in games at the Erwin Center. Texas dropped to 226-39 at the Erwin Center in the last 16 seasons (dating to the start of the 2002-03 season). UT is 35-13 at home during the Shaka Smart era (11-3 this season).
- Texas posted a +10 rebound margin (36-26), including a 16-6 advantage on the offensive glass.
- The Longhorns registered an 11-3 advantage in second-chance points and a 16-6 edge in bench scoring.
- Recorded his 12th double-double (18 points, 12 rebounds) of the season (23 games)
- Has 7 double-doubles in his first 11 Big 12 Conference contests
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 18th time this season
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 16th time this year
- Six of his 12 boards came on the offensive glass
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the ninth time this season (22 games) and 32nd time in his career (88 games)
- Made his first start since the Jan. 20th game at West Virginia (span of four games)
- Posted his highest-scoring total (8 points) since he had a season-high 14 vs. TCU (Jan. 10)
POSTGAME QUOTES
TEXAS
Head Coach Shaka Smart
On the difference in the team's energy: It's disappointing to say the least. I thought we showed some real immaturity in our response to our last game. It wasn't something that we didn't address or want to work on, but I really didn't like the way that we handled – it's just one game, it's one win – coming back from Saturday. It was more mentally than physically. It wasn't that we didn't practice well or where the guys didn't play with effort. You could kind of see it on our faces tonight. We didn't have the collective spirit or will to come together and be about one thing.
On coming out flat tonight: First of all, one of the things that winning and really good teams do is they have a good result but they say, "that was good, but we want more." That was something I was trying to put front and center for these guys coming off Saturday, but at the end of the day we didn't display that tonight. I think that Kansas State came off a couple of tough games very hungry and very aggressive. We flat out didn't have that here at home and that was extremely disappointing. I think that some of that had to do with the fact that we did have a really big win on Saturday, but if you're a really great player or someone that aspires to be a great player in a great team, then you have to take care of business in a game like tonight.
On defending and losing at home court: I mean it hurts a lot. I hope it hurts the guys as much as it hurts me, but when that happens you have to be a big boy and figure out how to go find the next one, and the next one happens to be on the road. We have to have a level of passion and hunger and commitment to the little things. They've had it throughout most of this season, but they didn't have it tonight. We've got to get better whether it's at home or on the road.
Freshman forward Mohamed Bamba
On how much it hurts to lose a home game: It hurts pretty bad to lose at home. No game in this league is easy, but home games are supposed to be the games where spirits are high. You drop one at home and it hurts, but we have to reset for TCU on Saturday.
On first half energy vs. second: During halftime, we told each other to find the spirit within. One big thing is to pry up a rally and start pushing each other to get our energy out.
Freshman guard Matt Coleman
On first half: I felt that our spirit wasn't there all the way. We didn't have enough energy going into the game, which I'm not sure what the cause of that was. They wanted it more than us.
On being a point guard: No matter what's going on, I feel like I just have to be that spark and spirit for myself and for my teammates. I have to remain consistent with that.
On message after the loss: The message after the game is that they wanted it more, and we didn't do the things that needed to be done. We didn't have enough small wins, as Coach says. If we had more small wins, we would have won the game. We didn't do the small things to get the win overall.
Junior forward Dylan Osetkowski
On disappointing game after OU win: It was an important game for us. We were tied with them in the Big 12. Obviously we didn't win the game, so we just have to be more hungry for this one on Saturday.
On his first half: The first half of the game I got two post-up touches, one called a foul and the other got called a travel violation. I think I have to be more assertive getting to my spots and getting the ball where I want it to go.
KANSAS STATE
Head Coach Bruce Weber
On switching Barry Brown Jr. to the point guard position late in the game: It's just who can get by people. Cartier [Diarra] made some really good plays. Obviously, we made a lot of big plays down the stretch. At the end of the shot clock, Barry had some good runs against Oklahoma State and Baylor when we got space up the court, and he was able to beat people and get to the hoop. Barry made some good plays down the stretch and had six assists. I'm trying to convince him that some games he'll get his 20 or 30 points, but other games he's going to need to guard and get assists. Our guys made some good passes and it was so important that our big guys finished.
On how bad Kansas State needed the win: You need every game. Everyone in this league has hit a lull somewhere. To lose to Kansas and West Virginia, a top-10 and top-20 team, is not a crisis or anything, but I didn't think that we played the way that we're capable of. I just really challenged them all week about fighting, battling and competing, and I thought they kept their poise and made a lot of big plays. To get the ball inbounds four times like that was not easy. We got big stops. Xavier [Sneed] had two big steals coming from the weak side that were huge and got us into transition to get some easy buckets. Points in the paint and points off of turnovers are key stats.
Junior forward Dean Wade
On chipping away at Texas all night: It was just a grind-out game. Every possession counts. We had to play physical on defense and help each other out. We had to grind it out, but it was a good win for us.
On keeping their composure during a close game: We just had to keep chipping away. Don't worry about the score. Just worry about the next possession. Focusing on our defensive principles was really important for us.
Junior guard Barry Brown Jr.
On how bad Kansas State needed the win: It was a big-time win. We needed that win badly so we could be in a better position in the league and for team confidence. We came off a few tough losses and this win put us right back where we need to be.
On winning on the road: It felt really good winning, especially on the road. They're a tough team and they have some good players. It wasn't pretty, but we were able to grind it out.
Freshman guard Cartier Diarra
On Barry Brown Jr.'s performance down the stretch: He was just showing his experience and leadership. He's been here for three years, and we rely on him to do what we need him to do. And he plays. Like you said, he scored on six of the last seven points in the game and we needed that.
