Texas barely survived on Saturday to remain on the positive side of the bubble. Can they beat Kansas to solidify their spot in the NCAA Tournament?
TV schedule: Monday, February 26, 9:00 p.m. ET. ESPN
Arena: Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas
There are a number of teams right on the bubble, fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. One of them is Texas 17-12 (6-9), who after scoring just 48 points to Kansas State, dropped right onto the cut line. In our own bubble watch, the Longhorns were projected as an 11 seed, barely holding on.
But on Saturday, Texas was very close to falling out of the big dance, trailing Oklahoma State near the end of the game. But the Longhorns prevailed over the Cowboys, 65-64. No player had over 13 points for Texas, but the team held their opponents for just 38% from the field. A loss would’ve done much more damage than a win could’ve helped, but at least Shaka Smart’s team lives for another day.
While this team is desperate, they could take advantage of a Kansas team 23-6 (12-4) still celebrating at least a share of the program’s 14th straight Big 12 title. It’s one of the most impressive feats in sports, considering the level of competition in the conference every year.
And as great as Trae Young has been, Devonte’ Graham has made a legit case for Big 12 Player of the Year, scoring 26 points in the massive road win over Texas Tech. He hit some incredibly tough shots at the end of the game, and played some great defense in his own right.
These two teams played an instant classic in the first go-around, with the Jayhawks winning 92-86 in Austin. It was a heartbreaking loss for Texas, who played the team’s best offensive game of the season. It also was freshman Mo Bamba’s best game at the time, with 22 points, 15 rebounds and eight blocks.
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This could very well be an emotional letdown for the celebrating Jayhawks, but unless what happened in the first meeting happens again, I don’t see how offensively they’ll be able to keep up with the Big 12 champs.
Prediction: Kansas 78 – Texas 65