Texas has never beaten a No. 1 team on the hardwood, and tonight would be a good time to change that when the slumping Longhorns go up against the top-ranked Jayhawks.
No. 9 Texas looks to get its season back on track when they host No. 1 Kansas tonight in Austin in an ESPN “Big Monday” showdown.
The Longhorns have taken a mighty tumble since earning the top spot in the nation in early January. After starting the season 17-0, Texas has lost four of its last six games and is now tied for fourth in the Big 12, three games back of the Jayhawks.
Now the ‘Horns who have gone from the “hunted to the hunter,” will try for their first ever victory over a No. 1 team.
The Longhorns need only to look in the mirror to see the biggest culprit in their drop from the top. Texas has been brutal from the free throw line shooting just 52% during its six-game swoon. The Longhorns are at a season-low 61% for the season (337th nationally) and have left more points on the floor then head coach Rick Barnes (and Texas backers) would care to count.
Despite the FT woes, Texas still has the nation’s third-ranked offense (84.1 per game). The Longhorns are also the top rebounding team in the country pulling down over 40 boards per game.
This year’s meeting of the Big 12 powers figured to be one of the top games of the year. With the two teams ranked 1-2 in the national rankings at the start of the campaign, this game had basketball fans salivating. However, with the Longhorns losing to Kansas State, Connecticut, Baylor and Oklahoma over the past three weeks much of the shine has come off this evening’s matchup.
While Texas is struggling to regain its form from earlier in the season, Kansas keeps on winning. Some nights the Jayhawks prevail in spectacular fashion and other nights they grind it out. Either way they get the job done.
Even Kansas head coach Bill Self admitted that his team didn’t play well last week during an overtime win at Colorado followed by an 11-point win over Nebraska Saturday. Those performances were to be expected especially considering they tailed emotional wins over Missouri and Kansas State.
Despite turning the Big 12 race into a cakewalk, the Jayhawks still have a ton left on the table. The last Kansas team to go 16-0 in league play was the Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison led squad of 2002, and at 8-0 this Kansas team still has a shot at equaling the feat. However it’s much too early to be talking perfection what with Texas tonight and road games remaining at Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Missouri.
KU is as well balanced as they come. The Jayhawks average 83.7 points per game (fourth nationally) and are ranked sixth in rebounding, eighth in field-goal percentage and eighth in three-point shooting. They also lead the nation in field goal defense at 36.6%.
Guard Sherron Collins leads the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game and has scored in double figures 17 times this season. Forward Marcus Morris has stepped up his game in Big 12 play. Morris leads the Jayhawks in scoring in league games at 17.8 points per game.
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Overall the team statistics for KU are staggering. They lead the conference in field goal percentage (49.3), three-point field goal percentage (41.0), field goal percentage defense (36.6), assists (18.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4). Kansas ranks in the top three in all but three Big 12 statistical categories. They’ve shot 50 percent or better in 12 of 22 games this season and 10 of their 22 victories this season have been by 25 or more points.
Texas is 19-4 overall and 5-3 in Big 12. The Longhorns are 12-1 at home this season and leads the league in scoring offense at 84.1 points per game. Texas also has one of the best inside and outside combinations in the nation with Damion James and Dexter Pittman. Jones is averaging 17.8 points per game and a conference best 11 boards per contest. Pittman leads UT with 48 blocked shots to complement his 11.4 scoring average.
Both teams have struggled ATS. KU is 9-10-1 while Texas is 8-11. The Longhorns are also 1-9 vs. the number in their last 10 outings while the Jayhawks are riding a 2-6-1 ATS streak.
The line opened at Texas +1 and is now 1½ in several shops. The total has held steady at 153. Texas is 11-7 to the 'over' while Kansas is 11-8 to the 'under.' The last two meetings have both gone well 'over' the posted total.
Kansas has taken five of the last six meetings overall but hasn’t won in Austin since Feb. 11, 2002. On the flip side the Longhorns are 0-6 all-time against top-ranked opponents. The last five matchups between the schools have been decided by 10 or fewer points, with three of those by four or less.