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Oklahoma City — Rarely do second chances surface with such strikingly similar circumstances.
But Texas will get a chance for redemption against Kansas University today for the Big 12 tournament championship - just eight days after KU wrecked the Longhorns' chance at a share of the regular-season title.
"It's a big-time win if we get it," UT freshman Kevin Durant said. "It will be a big-time win for our program."
Texas topped Oklahoma State, 69-64, in the late semifinal game Saturday to set up the rematch with almost as much at stake.
The Longhorns (24-8) are beginning to resemble a lethal three-headed monster with Durant, D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams all playing terrific basketball of late. The trio combined to take 89 percent of UT's shots Saturday, with Durant nailing perhaps the biggest one of the tournament to this point.
Tied 61-all with less than a minute to play, Augustin drove to the lane and missed a short shot that would've put UT ahead. But Damion James tipped out the rebound to Durant, who calmly drilled a huge three-pointer with 46.3 seconds left to put Texas up for good.
Durant admitted it might have been a bad shot, considering the shot clock was reset.
"But I am glad," he said, "that I made it."
Texas defenders Kevin Durant, left, and Damion James surround Oklahoma State guard Byron Eaton in the second half. UT beat OSU, 69-64, Saturday in Oklahoma City.
Durant scored 26 points, including UT's first 13. Abrams added 20, and Augustin had 15 and six assists.
Oklahoma State, playing its fifth game in eight days, didn't seem to run out of gas like one might expect. JamesOn Curry hit several clutch shots and finished with 24 points, while Mario Boggan added 21. Marcus Dove had 12 rebounds and did as solid a job containing Durant as can be expected in a college game.
But Oklahoma State likely looks toward an NIT bid now. Texas, meanwhile, seems to be continuing to improve its seeding before today's 5 p.m. announcement of the NCAA Tournament brackets.
"I feel like we got three teams (in the Big 12), in Kansas, Texas A&M and Texas all capable of making a run to go to the Final Four," OSU coach Sean Sutton said.
But first thing's first - a 2 p.m. game between Texas and Kansas, a matchup of two of the youngest and hottest teams in college basketball.
Audio clips
2006-07 March 10 KU-KSU Hoops
- Bill Self meets the media outside the KU locker room following Saturday's semifinal win in Oklahoma City
- Brandon Rush talks about Saturday's third win over K-State this year
- Darrell Arthur talks about playing games on back-to-back times for the first time this season
- Julian Wright talks about his big closing-minute performance Saturday
- Sherron Collins talks about connecting on breaking his three-point slump Saturday
Kansas - winner over Kansas State in the other semifinal game Saturday - beat Texas, 90-86, on March 3 in Lawrence. It was UT's only loss in its last nine games.
"I think their depth, when they go to their bench, I think they probably get more athletic," Texas coach Rick Barnes said of the Jayhawks. "They shot the ball really well against us in Lawrence. They're a team that's very worthy of where they are right now in the rankings.
"It is going to take a great effort on our part from a lot of people, not just Kevin, D.J. and A.J. It will take a lot from a lot of other guys doing a lot of the little things for us."
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- Keegan: KU-UT could be a classic 3 comments / March 11, 2007
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_r90x60.jpg?781011941c6c07bdfc65b7b14fce7e91909b1ea6 "KU guard Sade Morris battles Michigan guard Dayeesha Hicks for a loose ball during the first half of the game on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, at Allen Fieldhouse.")
Comments
jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...
A lot of people were rooting for the Oklahoma State Cowboys to beat Texas. I ask WHY!?
Rewind the clock 17 years (I'm beginning to feel like Mayer):
In July of 1990 I was in basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. One afternoon under that scorching summer sun, we were ceremoniously paraded out to an open grassy area where we were instructed on proper techniques of hand-to-hand combat. Now in an actual combat situation the initial fighting is accomplished with bayonets affixed to the end of an M-16 weapon. For training purposes, however, we fought not with the real thing, but with pugil sticks which are basically 6-foot-long, oversized Q-tips.
The drill sergeants paired us off, smallest guys together and the big guys likewise. The rest of the company stood encircled around the combatants antagonizing the fracas (absolutely NO pressure, right?). Now for those of you lacking military experience, let me tell you that the importance of escaping this ordeal with your pride intact can not be overstated, and in this scenario it is inescapably on the line. If you got beat--and particularly if you got beat badly--you were laughed to scorn by all the soldiers in your platoon, especially at "lights out" when the drill sergeants generally vacated the barracks for the evening.
I was 160 pounds, about average size for the typical 18-19 year old at Bravo Company, 6th Battalion, 10th-Infantry Regiment. I drew a freckle-faced Puerto Rican whose last name was "Rivera". He appeared nervous, and though I tried my best to put on airs of self-confidence and being up to the task before me, I was as scared as a black man at a Klan rally. I was fighting more than an unknown opponent; I was also battling cotton mouth, the agitating summer heat, and the uncomfortable stares of an entire company of trainees who wanted to see blood--even if it was mine. I had nervous energy shut up inside my bones like lightning. Nevertheless, when the fighting was whistled to begin I commenced a righteous beat-down that nearly knocked Rivera senseless.
March 11, 2007 at 3:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...
Walking over to my buddies after the broohaha, I was warmly received by a chorus of congratulations and a hail of slaps on the head and back for a job well done. Strangely, I wasn't overcome with a sense of glory. More than anything else, I just honestly felt relief! After my personal ordeal had been played out, I then watched as other pairs took their turns entering and exiting the "ring", some with their dignity in tow and others who were not so fortunate. After a couple of hours of this, the luster had more or less worn off of the intermediate-weight fights, and our appetites were whetted for the heavyweights. The bigger the fighters, the more intense was the interest.
The two biggest guys in our platoon were a black guy--Eric Wright, a gang-banger from Pennsylvania--and a country white boy from Alabama named Smith, a veritable corn-and-potato bred phenomenon who smart money would be on. Good money is always best placed on the ugly guys; you know, the ones who appear to have been involved in a face vs. locomotive accident (ever see a handsome guy in the UFC series?). But more than that, he stood about 3" taller and was a far sight more muscular. It was widely known he threw hay and would travel in the summers on wheat harvests throughout the midwest. When the two approached the center, hoops and screams went up that undoubtedly reached the limits of the Post. Glancing over, I could see the drill sergeants taking bets on who would win. Again the whistle blew.
March 11, 2007 at 3:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...
I can't describe the exhilaration of watching these guys go at it. It was inexplicable, really:but I felt a strange kinship with the Roman citizens as they were calling for the gladiators' blood. As a spectator you wanted one of the pugilists to be summarily and thoroughly beaten beyond all recognition. I wish I could say the fight was close, but the truth is it was over before it began. Wright put a whipping on Smith like Ike Turner beating Tina. First came a massive thrust, then a responsorial "OOOOH!" from the crowd. This refrain recurred over the next few moments. Smith looked like his arms and legs were made of lead as the blows of Wright's pugil stick snapped his head back again and again. And as is typical of gang warfare he jawed the entire time during the beat-down. "Hay bales don't fight back, do they?" It wasn't long before Smith was looking up into the face of determination from his vantage point on the ground. Needless to say, the fight was ended before the duration of time allotted for it elapsed. Then, confidently, Wright walked over to an area of the ring very near where I was and said, "That's how you do it, fellas:philadelphia style!"
My point is this. You should want to see the heavyweight battles. Kansas and Texas are certainly that. Oklahoma State is not even going to make the tournament. Are we here to watch college basketball or aren't we? I want to see Kansas play against UNC, against Ohio State, and against UCLA:you can keep your paper tigers, thank you (drive through). Line up the heavyweights! Even if we lose there is more of a thrill in the game. This is Kansas and we don't shy away from the spotlight.
March 11, 2007 at 3:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yates33333 (anonymous) says...
What B.S. If he were in real combat he would wish his opponent had a wet noodle and he had a Quad 50. Too bad KU isn't playing Colorado for the championship.
March 11, 2007 at 5:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lash (anonymous) says...
B.S. and long and boring. Feel sorry for his family.
March 11, 2007 at 6:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KU1979 (anonymous) says...
Bravo! I loved it. Very well written.
Let's take care of business today and get ready for the dance. Nobody in the country scares me. Bring 'em on!
March 11, 2007 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KU (anonymous) says...
Just forget about doubling down on Durant today. Play him straight up and keep the rest of their team from killing you like they nearly did in Lawrence. If Durant can go cold against an inferior Baylor team that played him straight up, he can go cold against KU too. I'd like to see us drawn him out of the paint when he's on defense and see if our guards can have a field day penetrating like Baylor did.
March 11, 2007 at 8:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KoolKeithFreeze (anonymous) says...
Alright, I agree with the final sentiment of that overly verbose post, but if I wanted to get all gay and boot camp I would have tossed Full Metal Jacket in my DVD player for the ten thousandth time...
March 11, 2007 at 9:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goldlighting (anonymous) says...
jross did not right that commentary, it clearly was a cut and paste, even the punctuation appeared to be written by a english comp Professor!
March 11, 2007 at 10:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
beebe1 (anonymous) says...
Sorry guys, but I think jross is a whale of a writer! The point to being here is to get to enjoy some writing -- and a lot of you are surely lacking in English writing, even if your sentiments are OK. As for me, keep it up!!
March 11, 2007 at 10:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
one_and_one_is_two (anonymous) says...
No, the punctuation was somewhat lacking: an "english comp Professor" would have thrown a couple of colons in there.
By the way, professors don't teach English composition; they have the minions (TA's) do it.
March 11, 2007 at 12:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tis4tim (anonymous) says...
Good story, jross.
What I would really like to see is Julian beat Durant over the head with a pugil stick. That would be remembered for all time more than KU's umpteenth league tourney title. We've won so many, we have to start including some good bloopers so we can recall them properly.
The conversation might go something like this:
Person 1: "Let's see, the 2007 tourney title...which one was that again?"
Person 2: "That was the one where Julian beat Durant senseless with a giant Q-tip"
Person 1: "Ah, yes. I'll never forget that."
Person 2: "But you did. That's why you asked me."
Person 1: "It's a plot hole that isn't supposed to be in this dialogue."
Person 2: "I see."
Well, maybe the tactic wouldn't work after all. It would still be comical, though. I'm going to go eat a waffle.
March 11, 2007 at 12:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )