Texas Basketball: 3 takeaways from lethargic loss to Kansas

Texas basketball was unable to extend its winning streak to three games in a tough battle on the road at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence against the No. 9 ranked Kansas Jayhawks and head coach Bill Self on Feb. 6. No. 5 ranked Texas looked like it was a step behind throughout most of the game against Kansas on this night.

This was not the same energy that interim head coach Rodney Terry and the Longhorns brought when they nabbed the win over the No. 7 ranked Kansas State Wildcats on the road on Feb. 4. Texas was really slow out of the gates in the first half.

If not for a three-pointer just before halftime from senior guard Marcus Carr, Texas was going to go into the locker room at halftime down by double digits to the Jayhawks. And if not for a strong push from Carr late as he made some really tough shots in the dying minutes, Texas was going to fade away with a convincing double-digit loss way before Kansas was able to close them out anyway in the second half.

The loss to Kansas moves Texas’ record on the season to 19-5 (8-3 Big 12). For the time being, Texas still sits atop the Big 12 standings, with a 0.5-game edge on the Iowa State Cyclones.

Rodney Terry and No. 5 Texas basketball look sluggish in an eight-point loss to No. 9 Kansas

Here’s a look at three takeaways from Texas’ sleepy loss to Kansas on the road on Feb. 6.

Texas gets beat at its own game

There were some notable strengths that Terry and the Longhorns boasted over Kansas heading into this game.

First and foremost, Texas had the decisive edge in bench scoring this season. Texas came into this one leading the Big 12 in bench points per game on the season, at a clip of nearly 27. Meanwhile, Kansas was the only team in the Big 12 averaging bench points per game in the single figures heading into tonight.

Yet, Kansas matched Texas blow for blow in terms of the bench production in this game, which was largely thanks to the play of the former Drake senior guard Joseph Yesufu. For the first time in Big 12 play this season, Yesufu was able to score in the double figures as he managed