Texas Basketball: Analytical breakdown of upset loss to KSU
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The seven-seed Texas basketball and head coach Rodney Terry were sent home early after a second-round Big 12 Tournament upset loss to the 10-seed Kansas State Wildcats. Texas couldn't hang onto a 10-point halftime lead as Kansas State roared back to win the second half by 14 points.
Analytical breakdown from No. 7 Texas's Big 12 Tournament second-round loss to No. 10 Kansas State tonight. pic.twitter.com/fhSl4OX7iQ
— Hook'em Headlines (@HookemHeadlines) March 14, 2024
Multiple top Longhorns scorers were very quiet in this game, including junior guard Tyrese Hunter and senior big man Dylan Disu. Terry needed Hunter to be more of the version of himself he showed in the regular season finale win last weekend against the Oklahoma Sooners.
How Texas basketball coughed up a big second-half lead vs. Kansas State
Instead, Hunter missed all six field goal attempts he took, posting six points by way of the free-throw line.
Disu also struggled shooting from the field, going just 2-of-8. But he was also limited on the floor due to some early-second half foul trouble.
As a result of Texas's second-half struggles, Terry and staff must regroup in the next week before Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament.
Here's an analytical breakdown of Texas's tough 78-74 loss in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament to Kansas State at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO, on March 13.
Four Factors
True shooting percentage
Texas-53.2%
Kansas State-58.5%
Kansas State was the better offensive team in almost every conceivable way when it mattered down the stretch in the second half. The Wildcats shot better from the field, from beyond the arc, and the free-throw line when compared to Texas in the final 20.
Turnover percentage
Texas-9.1%
Kansas State-13.1%
The one part of this game that Texas outplayed Kansas State was in the turnover battle. Terry's squad turned the ball over just seven times compared to 10 Kansas State turnovers.
Offensive rebounding percentage
Texas-16.2%
Kansas State-23.5%
In 11 of 12 Texas losses this season, they've lost the battle on the offensive glass.
FTA Rate
Texas-.407
Kansas State-.585
Kansas State's ability to get in the paint and draw contact to get to the free-throw line was a big factor in their big second-half scoring run. The Wildcats knocked down 15-of-20 attempts from the line in the second half while putting up 26 points in the paint.
Style Metrics
Assist percentage: Texas-44.0%, Kansas State-48.0%
Assist/Turnover Ratio: Texas-1.6, Kansas State-1.2
Since the pace in this game was so slow for long stretches, there weren't many chances for each team to rack up assists in bunches. It's noteworthy that Texas only had three assists in the second half after posting nine in the first.
3PA Rate
Texas-39.0%
Kansas State-24.5%
Outside of a couple of nice three-pointers late from Abmas in the second half, Texas did not shoot the ball well at all down the stretch.
Pace
Texas-68 possessions
Kansas State-68 possessions
Kansas State played this game at their pace in the second half, which threw Texas out of their comfort zone in a major way.
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