Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big 12 Basketball: Each team’s worst performance of the last decade

By Joey Loose

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Head coach Lon Kruger of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts to a lead over the USC Trojans after a timeout with Trae Young
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Head coach Lon Kruger of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts to a lead over the USC Trojans after a timeout with Trae Young /
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AUSTIN, TX – FEBRUARY 29: Frank Mason III #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks passes around Demarcus Holland #2 of the Texas Longhorns at the Frank Erwin Center on February 29, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX – FEBRUARY 29: Frank Mason III #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks passes around Demarcus Holland #2 of the Texas Longhorns at the Frank Erwin Center on February 29, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /

Texas

February 29, 2016 (Kansas 86, at Texas 56) (GS: 12)

After 17 years under Rick Barnes, the Longhorns parted ways with the man who lead them to the Final Four in 2003, landing another Final Four coach, Shaka Smart from VCU. While Smart’s tenure has started somewhat uneasily (11-22 in 2017), there’s still plenty of optimism in Austin. The Big 12 may be deep, but surely this Texas team can claw their way back to the top of the conference again. On the way, however, they’ve experienced a few struggles, though one game stood out above all the others.

A few weeks before this team lost at the buzzer to Northern Iowa, Texas welcomed #1 Kansas into Austin, just two days removed from a 76-63 victory over #3 Oklahoma. Kansas was a slight favorite, but they proceeded to blast Texas away. Before they could blink, Texas was already in a 15-0 hole and it didn’t get better as the game progressed. The halftime lead was 47-23 and the game was done at that point. Perry Ellis leads the Jayhawks with 20 points while poor shooting performances from Connor Lammert (1-8) and Isaiah Taylor doomed the Longhorns (1-10).

The Texas Longhorns are not the kind of team that should finish seasons 11-22 or lose by 30 at home to Kansas, but that’s just how bad things have started under Smart. Seeing Rick Barnes turn Tennessee into a top 10 team likely has Longhorns fans uneasy, but there’s still plenty of time for the Longhorns to turn it around. Then again, there’s also plenty of time for this team to hit rock bottom.

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