A big bubble game takes place in Texas on Saturday when Texas hosts TCU. Both teams could desperately use a win, which one will leave Austin with the win?
TV Schedule: Saturday, March 9, 12:00p.m. ET, ESPN2
Arena: Frank Erwin Center, Austin Texas
On Saturday afternoon two teams that are fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives hook up in Austin to finish out the regular season when the Texas Longhorns (16-14, 8-9) host the TCU Horned Frogs (18-12,6-11). A loss in this game for either team puts their at-large hopes in even more peril and would mean for the loser, the need to probably win two games in the Big 12 Tournament to feel more secure.
Both teams have struggled mightily entering this game, and both teams have missed multiple opportunities to put themselves on the right side of the bubble. The visiting Horned Frogs have lost six of their last seven entering this one, with their lone win coming against No. 19 Iowa State. Texas has been a little better, but not much, they have gone 2-4 in their last six, they also beat Iowa State, but lost to Texas Tech, Kansas State, and fellow bubble team Oklahoma.
A couple of things have hampered TCU of late, first, their two leading scorers, Desmond Bane, and Kouat Noi has been inconsistent or, in Noi’s case struggled to stay on the floor. In the last six games, with four of them coming against teams ahead of them in the standings, Bane has scored double-figure points in just three of them, and only once, against Iowa State, did it come against one of those four teams.
As for Noi, he has been good when he has been on the floor. The sophomore forward has missed six games this season for various reasons, but when he’s played, he’s been effective, scoring 15 or more points in eight games this season. The other thing that has hurt Jamie Dixon’s team has been their defense. Over their last eight games entering this one they have surrendered over 80 points four times.
Since leading scorer Kerwin Roach was suspended indefinitely after a victory over Oklahoma State, Shaka Smart’s Longhorns have gone 1-3, but to their credit played two tight road games at Oklahoma and Baylor losing by two and three points. The struggles can’t be blamed on the loss of production though, sophomore Jase Febres has stepped in admirably for Roach, averaging 17 points per game in his absence. Against Oklahoma, the Longhorns shot just 41% from the field and in the overtime loss to Baylor they gave up a 19-point lead. Texas could easily be looking to solidify an at-large bid if they had closed either of those games out, now this game on Saturday becomes a must-win situation.
Even though the Horned Frogs have four players averaging in double figures, their offense runs through Bane. The key matchup in this one for me will be whether Febres can continue his solid play and offset and even out-produce Bane in this game.
Playing at home in a game they desperately need, gives Texas the edge and they pull out a close win to stay on the right side of the bubble, at least until their next game.