Hoyas D-moralize young Longhorns
RICK BARNES knew he would have a lot of teaching to do this season with a roster that has 10 sophomores and freshmen and still doesn't know when starting guard Myck Kobango will return to the lineup.
RICK BARNES knew he would have a lot of teaching to do this season with a roster that has 10 sophomores and freshmen and still doesn't know when starting guard Myck Kobango will return to the lineup.
The Longhorns struggled offensively in a 64-41 loss to No. 15 Georgetown on Tuesday night in the opening game of the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. In the second game of the doubleheader, No. 25 North Carolina State beat Connecticut, 69-65.
Otto Porter had 14 points and eight rebounds to lead Georgetown. Nate Lubick added 13 points and Markel Starks had 11 for the Hoyas, who led by 13 at halftime. The lead grew to 23 and was never less than eight in the second half.
"I thought we were quite attentive to defense," Hoyas coach John Thompson III said. "With the exception of giving them some free throws and some baskets in transition, they had to work for everything they got and that's what we wanted to do."
The Hoyas (6-1), whose only loss this season was to No. 1 Indiana in overtime, scored the first nine points of the game, the last four from Lubick on layups.
Sheldon McClellan had 12 points to lead the Longhorns (5-3), who had their lowest point total under Barnes, who took over as coach for the 1998-99 season. Texas had won three straight after losing two in a row.
"After these games, we're making the same mistakes," Barnes said. "Throwing passes to guys they know can't catch it. Getting the ball tipped away from behind. I don't understand. We wanted to throw the ball inside all night. We didn't. I still don't think they can guard us. If I could have 20 timeouts a game so I could tell them things we would have more wins."
The Longhorns struggled with their shooting and turnovers throughout the first half. The Hoyas led by as many as 17 points in the first half, the last time at 30-13 on a jumper by Porter with 2:55 to go.
"We defended them well enough. We really did," Barnes said. "It was our offense again. We don't put pressure on people the way we should."
Texas shot 28.6 percent (8 of 28), including 1 of 6 from 3-point range, in the first half against Georgetown and committed 12 turnovers that the Hoyas turned into 14 points on the way to a 30-17 halftime lead.
The shooting was almost as bad in the second half. Texas, which came in averaging 64.4 points per game, finished 6-for-20 (30 percent) from the field in the second half and was 14-for-48 (29.2 percent) overall. The Longhorns were 2-for-13 from three-point range.
"What I'm disappointed most in is just the will to continue to fight wasn't there," Barnes said. "We start the game and all we talk about is not turning the ball over. They don't do what we practice. They didn't do one thing we didn't expect."
In the doubleheader's nightcap, Richard Howell had 13 points and all 10 of his rebounds in the second half, and C.J. Leslie had 16 points and 13 rebounds for North Carolina State. The Wolfpack (5-2) had lost two of three. Shabazz Napier led Connecticut (6-2) with 19 points and Ryan Boatright added 18.
In other Top 25 games *
At Michigan, Trey Burke had 20 points and seven assists, and the No. 3 Wolverines (8-0) eased past Western Michigan (6-2) for a 73-41 victory.
* At College of Charleston, Wayne Blackshear had 18 points and No. 5 Louisville (7-1) used its stifling defense to take control in an 80-38 victory. The Cardinals finished with a season-high 18 steals and forced Charleston (5-3) into a season-high 27 turnovers.
* At Arizona, Nick Johnson scored 23 points, Kevin Parrom had 13 of his 14 in the second half and the No. 8 Wildcats (6-0) overcame a season-high 27 turnovers in a 63-55 win over Southern Miss (6-2).
* At Missouri, Laurence Bowers scored a career-high 26 points to help the No. 12 Tigers (7-1) rally from 10 points down at halftime and post an 81-65 win over Southeast Missouri State (6-5).
* At Illinois, Brandon Paul scored 14 points and the No. 13 Illini (9-0) earned a 72-64 win over Western Carolina (3-6).
* At Minnesota, Andre Hollins scored 20 of his 22 points before halftime, and the No. 14 Gophers (9-1) breezed to an 88-64 victory over a South Dakota State team (6-3) missing star point guard Nate Wolters (ankle injury).