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Open Thread: #7 Longhorns and Razorbacks

#7 Texas  (11-2) at Arkansas (11-1)

Bud Walton Arena (19,200)

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Tip Time 8 pm

TV: ESPN2

TexasSports.com Preview

Kem Pom Texas Scouting Report

Kem Pom Arkansas Scouting Report

Austin American Statesman on the friendship between Texas freshman Varez Ward and Arkansas freshman Courtney Fortson

A few quick Keys to the Game:

1. Stay out of foul trouble. Arkansas is one of the best teams in the country (11th nationally) at getting to the free throw line. With Connor Atchley out tonight and Alexis Wangmene out for the season, the Texas frontline is really thin. Gary Johnson, Dexter Pittman, Clint Chapman, and Matt Hill must be able to stay on the floor for extended minutes. Look for Barnes to play Damion James at the four spot as well if matchups allow.

2. Get Back on D. This Texas team has struggled with transition defense in multiple games this season. The Razorbacks won't be afraid to push the basketball tonight in front of nearly 20,000 loud, Texas hatin' fans. Justin Mason and Dogus Balbay must recognize when they can crash the offensive glass and when their assignment is to retreat and protect against easy fast break buckets.

3. Play Inside-Out on Offense. The 'Horns are so much more dangerous when Dexter Pittman or Johnson get a touch in the post. Texas should lean on Pittman early, make the Arkansas defense collapse, and, hopefully, allow AJ Abrams and Damion James some open looks from three.

4. Make Free Throws. This is going to be a key in every road game the rest of the season. The Longhorns are not an efficient enough team on offense to leave points at the line. If tonight is as close as I expect, the 'Horns' ability to make free throws down the stretch could be the difference.

Hook 'Em

 

0 recs  |  380 comments

Comments

dont know whether to watch this game

or the show KD is putting on against the Knicks

Ward gets the start for Connor

Barnes elects to go small to match the Hogs.

Again, I am relegated to the radio

which I really like, but any great visual information will be appreciated.

Mason to James for opening dunk

Ark turnover.

Not sure if I can take any more threads after last night
Fuck

Pittman with opening minute foul on offensive rebound attempt. Weak call though.

John Pelphrey

wearning the ugliest blazer I’ve ever seen. Arkansas red. Barf!

Jimmy Dykes

A bit of an Arkansas homer, no?

This match up reminds me of the Tom Penders days
Ward too fast for his defender
Ward attacking early

Once in transition and once in the half court. Nice energy from the freshman in his first start.

Arkansas sloppy early

Three unforced turnovers so far in two plus min

MAson filling the stat sheet, draws a charge
Pittman with a touch

and the whole Ark team turns to watch. Nice feed to Mason then to James for the dunk

Early foul on Fortson. Nice.

Gonna hear a lot of booing tonight nt
GJ is strong!!!!
UGH, we're falling in love with the 3
Texas letting Ark off the hook with perimeter jumpers

Finally, back into the paint and James scores.

Okay, switching to the football gameday koozie...
It worked last night. nt
I realized I had the baketball koozie up until the 4th quarter lst night then switched, hmmm...
And we thought

it was because Horn Brain’s girlfriend was at the game…

We are so misguided. nt
Much needed tv timeout
13-8 Ark, under 16 tv

Not great on the ball D so far. Pittman with an early foul and a seat on the bench.

Texas has scored just about every time the ball has entered the post and missed every jumper so far. Gary Johnson with two touches and two bricked jumpers. Attack the freaking rim.

Geez

AJ moves to point and forces three-pointer.

Gary picks up a foul. Chap has a foul too.

GJ's foul was actually Chaps 2nd
Chap with three fouls now

Guess I missed one.

Matt Hill

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a player at Texas who has less later quickness. He looks almost stuck to the floor on D.

Ogden?
Nope,

he was quicker.

At least he'll get in and mix it up, looks at Chap
Limitations all around

Chap at least shows some potential at times. Hill is just slow. Period.

Scrimmages dont count
Well

At least GJ didn’t take the 15 footer…again

Get your F#cking whistle out of your mouth
Great airball pass there
Gary Johnson

Two nice off rebounds and put backs. Love it.

2 on washington

I didn’t see it? Did he clear out?

Yep

Hooked the elbow. I heart DVR

16-14 Ark, under 12

Two fouls on Arkansas’s only big man. Time to insert Pittman and pound the paint. We’re about 5-of-15 from the floor with all our makes coming from the paint.

Pittman

Beautiful behind the back bounce pass to GJ.

Don't mind that one

Gary is at least aggressive.

If they win it today...

they’ll have to earn it

Cold

Nothing going down

Ice Cold from perimeter

Both teams can’t buy a basket from outside.

Nice rebound by Pittman

Does Fortson have two fouls as well?

"Over the LINE!" `Walter Sobchak~
Sutton

Hope someone’s driving him home.

Does Jai get to play this year?
No

Next December

No Answer from Pittman

Keep feeding him.

Calm down guys....
James with another fast break bobble

That’s two. Calm yourself.

I dont think it's nerves
the crowd is really annoying
Is it jus me...

or is this some of the ugliest jump shots you’ve seen in a good while?

Sooooooooooooo

or Boooooooooooo

Nice jacket, Pelphrey.

Arkansas

is ICE COLD. This is ugly. If Texas was shooting halfway decent, we’d be up 10 easily.

20-18 Texas, under 8

i'm offended by the ark coach's wardrobe.

that’s probably why texas is getting calls. the refs don’t tolerate used car salesman fashion.

lol

you’re right he looks ridiculous

Pedo-bear approves of his wardrobe.
pittman is dominating right now
Ha

Did yall see that 45 35 sighn?

At this shooting rate, that might be it tonight. nt
Dex Denial nt whills
Lid on the Rim

Bricked free thrown, Mason with missed jumper, Arkansas can’t buy a bucket, etc.

Fortson looks horrible

Totally frustrated and out of sync. Really looks like a freshman. Fouls, turnovers, poor body language.

That's a nice way to open the rim

Damion dunk!

Um, that should have been a no call
Damion with the hustle!
pittman! power!
Mason careless with the ball

Lucky not to give up a dunk.

Nice feed Balbay to Pittman

Dexy, Tall kid in Middle School...
AJ is ice cold

all open looks and can’t hit anything

Nice undercut, there. Keep fighting Gary.
29-24 Texas, under 4

AJ with a big missed three there. That would have shut them up and extended the lead to seven. Abrams still hasn’t scored.

We should be up by 10+. I don’t like that we’re letting them hand around at home.

agree and I thought we would be

coming out on fire after arkansas took out the land thieves

we’re letting them hand around at home.

Romancing themselves?

Sorry about that

Hang, not hand.

the calls have started to go a little more Rkansas' way

also, can someone check AJ’s locker? maybe he forgot to pack his shot for the game.

The iron is unfriendly in Fayettenam.
unfriendly for the home team also
Home iron isn't smart enough to know which team is shooting.

Arkansas.

Drop that shoulder, Gary. pwnage.
This crowd reminds me that I hate the piggies
"that's why I don't play you"

rofl

Fortson nervous

with Varez in the house. Did you know they were hunting and fishing buddies?

Fathers were roommates at ACU
Oh no, were their Dad's roommates at some point?
make up no call for GJ
ESPN announcer swap?

Who gives a fucking rats ass

it's a gimmick.

I don’t watch games because of the announcers, but I gotta admit, I love the Jackson, breen, JVG combo. they call a good game.

Three-pointers

Teams a combined 1-15. Brick.

THis game is a damn train wreck

Aj sucks when he is off

sloppy as hell!!
brick brick brick
What are the hicks chanting?
I Want..Butt Secks
ARKANSAS!...

….REDNECKS!

Huge half for Dexy and Gary.
This is like the 1st half from the fiesta bowl
funny how at texas, it all comes back to football.

I remember at the ucla game, the loudest the crowd ever got besides the last minute was when mack brown was on the big screen.

that last shot sums up the first half
wow it's been sloppy this half
Good Coaching

Barnes called timeout to go two-for-one.

AJ missed but Texas got rebound to go two-for-zero.

Now, it didn’t work as all three Texas shots were bricks.

That was freaking UGLY. 31-27 Texas at half.

Four point road lead

After that brick fest, I’ll take it. We stayed out of foul trouble, save Chapman, and got Pittman and Johnson involved early. Our transition D has been excellent as has the half-court D. Their freshman point guard was totally rattled and the Arkansas offense never got on track.

Unfortunately, Texas couldn’t buy a perimeter jumper. I think we were 0-for-11 from three and AJ still hasn’t scored. Given that, a four point lead on the road is fine.

If Texas heats up, this will be a double digit win. Otherwise, this will be a 40 min game and the first to 55 points wins.

a little worried about washington coming back...

he seemed like a force early, but here’s to AJ’s shot coming back

anyone know if j'covan is gonna play in the spring?
Don't know for sure

But I seriously doubt it. The fact that Jai Lucas was offered and accepted a scholarship makes it a near certainty that J’Covan will never play for the Horns.

shame. I hate when young guys blow a great opportunity.

still A LOT to look forward to next year. 2009-2010 could be an extra special year for longhorn football and basketball.

Those guys on the radio call in show

talk pretty well for not having any teeth.

Dex the Billboard.
Shades of HArongodie
Arkansas's coach has a short wheelbase van with no windows.
Pittman

with two quick fouls. Washington appears to be only Razorback who can score.

Texas have to shut don the guys in head bands
We need some of them there headbands.
Points in the Paint

plus free throws may equal our total points.

Don’t know if I’ve every seen Texas score so many points in the paint.

I love Justin Mason
piss poor officiating

guys get mugged – no call then you get a call on a touch foul. it’s been going back and forth. texas gets a call, arkansas gets a call. it’s a box of chocolates.

A little nickle-dimer, ticky tack, eeuuughhhuugh.
I'm sure it's already been established, but their fans are classy...

and original…never seen the Horns upside down…

Worst. Fans Ever.
at least they can't throw pee on these guys like they do the football players...
Texas 39-34, under 16

Nothing’s changed so far—ugly. Arkansas has no answer for Texas in the paint but Texas not efficient enough to pull away.

What do you think about Rick Barnes' coaching lately?

My brother definitely questioned it during the MSU game….

Solid

The team has been flat, I think because of the holidays

Same as usual

Outstanding defensively, below average offensively.

I actually didn’t see the Mich State game, traveling over the holidays, but I’ve seen the rest.

Our celing is still very high but I thought we’d be further along offensively at this point in the season.

We just need some inside-out, that is if we could hit a three.
It's always hard for me to question Rick Barnes....

but I’m with you, just thought we’d be a lil’ further along by now

Balbay plays tenacious D even in mid-air.

Can’t hit the broad side of a barn shooting, unfortunately.

butts

what’s up with the announcer and his love for butts?

I noticed that

Just like Tim Ryan’s fascination with “get offs”

I'm guessing

 We’re 2-14 on finishinf breaks tonight

That is where Gary has to get better

Kick the ball out on the double or triple team.

Turnover leads to run out and crowd back in it. 4 pt game.

No foul there on G.J!

Just a shove, nothin’ big!

officials are drunk

they have been hitting the whiskey

Sexy Dex just can't play without fouling..,
My god

Nothing from three. 0 for the freaking game.

And Pittman picks up his fourth.

This is the point in the game where Damion needs to head to the 4
Time to go small?
We are by far the better team

Geez, put this thing away please!

nice missed layup.
wow we cant hit anything
Need headbands, Or a bat.
james, dunk that damn thing.
Slowest Big Guys in the Nation

This is the ugliest game I think I’ve ever seen the horns play. There will be fist thrown before the end of this one…

You should have seen Texas State and Texas Southern games.
my wife has gone downstairs!

She thinks I’m crazy for commenting on every play online!!!!! Yes!!!

I was showing my lady the van comments. LOL.

She understands me. I think.

2 nights in a row....

I’ve taken over the TV to watch Texas sports….going to have to go to sushi tomorrow night to make up for this:)

We have the arrow?
45-41 Texas, under 12

How is this still a game? Texas is dominating the paint and no one on Ark scares me offensively. Horns dominated defensive glass and for th most part protecting the ball (no more jump passes, Balbay).

But we can’t score enough to pull away! Currently, just 33% from the floor. That is awful.

just heard a rear end comment....his way to avoid saying butt 100 times
Balby new nickname

The Balbanian Devil

About time.

2 or 3, anything to get him going.

A Jumper

What’s that? AJ with a 2/3.

looked like a bad shot but he made it
abrams feeling it
Hell yeah! AJ is gettin' started!
Turn it on AJ. nt
Oh Jeez, AJ is going to light up
glad he made it, but that was not a good shot.
wow

freaking AJ finally wakes up

Aj does not pull a sled

guaranteed.

In communist Russia, the sled pulls AJ.
In communist Russia

…Rocky pulls the sled and then beats Drago

He gives Dex piggy back rides to and from class
going uphill from dkr to jester...she's a cruel mistress in the summer.
He does reps of this

i've been out

but has anyone mentioned…why is lil wayne playing w arkansas?

lil wayne

and he was on ESPN 2 this morning! damn he’s good!

weezy is a hardcore sports fan, espn gave him his own blog
it's nice to be playing a team that misses more free throws than us.
glass half empty

eh?

Actually

Texas has the best free throw percentage defense in the country. Not that is something teams can really influence but it’s true.

lucky ass shot
we got harangody'd AGAIN!
why do all the crazy shots go in against us?
why am I not surprised that went in
that coach....

looks like Clayton Bigsby from the Chappell Show!

more like chuck taylor
52-49 Texas

Prayer by Ark big answered. Time to end this.

45-35!!!!

45-35!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

come on BIG DEX
sanchez

got caught on dexy’s butt

what the hell was that mason!
dexter gobbling up all the boards
oh wow, lucky, dex just elbowed the crap out of that dude
Dex cleared out half the arena

Big bows

bad refs

I think both coaches will send this tape in…

LOL, no doubt, too inconsistent
Both have complaints.
The wife just said the Arkansas Coach...

…looks like he is about to break out into show tunes. That and something about liking hogs (is not Razorbacks). She can be evil.

He looks like a show tunes singer on a cruise ship
Clay Aiken's Uncle.
Im glad Washington caught that one in the mouth

Im done with that big tool

52-49 Texas, under 8

Pittman in game with four fouls and almost got whistled on both ends. Hopefully he can stay on the floor. Otherwise, James to the four and three guards the rest of the way.

Time to finish. Take good shots, rebound, and sink free throws.

time to

kick some hog ass!

Where was that coach at before Arkansas?

I want to say gonzaga, b/c he looks like Mark Few

can not turn the ball over
damn it lil wayne
The Forbidden Forumla

Butts and rebounds

I'm buying this team a copy of

Transition D for Dummies

JUMP BALL?!?
jump ball my ass!
how is that jump ball
JUMP BALL!!!!?!??!?

WTF??!?!?!?

Lil wayne

just got slapped by big dexy

he got his arm
how is that a clean block?????
wth

he grabbed his arm and tried to bite it

he almost ripped out his arm.
I'm gonna be sick

Fans back in it after three empty possessions for the Horns.

Its amazing to see fans whose whole reason to breathe is to beat Texas

Dexy

is going to go mike tyson and bite and ear off!

hate that pig suey shit
Jimmy Dykes sounding like an SEC homer

No one, even Tenn and Fl, is great in the SEC this year.

Yeah, espn is way overrated!

And Jimmy Dykes ummm…SUCKS!

they are playing like absolute dog crap
GAWD another terrible call
not a good time for the offense to sputter.
what that smile?
lucked out on those FT's
use da butt luke!
i hope abrams comes alive
oh god, horrible shooting
why is mason shooting that ball
dexy can't guard 00
0 field goals in the last 4:30 for us.
not a single thing going our way right now
not good at all
can someone tell rick barnes he can take a time out whenever he likes?
needed that from Pittman

badly

Thank You Dex

Two feet in the paint. No answer. 11-0 Ark run finally answered.

He just called Dex, "Bevo"
don't even think about anymore perimeter shots unless it's abrams open on a curl.
Glad Dex has learned how to shoot free throws from AJ
the double slam!!!!!!
good conversion on the break
BALLIN! MASE or JAMES? WHO CARES?!!!!
keep taking it to the rack damnit
come on ricky, coach them up
Tie game, 3:35 left

Quick 5-0 answer by the Horns.

dex is officially in shape.

if he can run this must he’s ready! now just needs to learn to play smart easy catch and slam bball

way to fall asleep there
sloppy pass by james
that's my only big gripe with rick, he doesn't utilize time outs to control momentum

during the ucla game, our home crowd sucked, but when everyone did get to their feet, ben howland immediately called a time out, everyone sat and stayed seated and the arena was quiet again. i wish rick would use time outs a little more on the road.

SON OF A BITCH
awful sequence!
i'm ready fot the to end.
AJ's NOT a point guard, hate to tell his dad that...
F

Down three, under 4 timeout. Horrible pass by James to wide open Dex.

I get sick of these close fucken games

I can't take this two nights in a row.
i didn't even sleep last night i was so wound up...with joy!
NO PG

is really killing us. It’s almost like we are always a pass ahead or a pass behind. not in sync at all.

we just keep self destructing

time for aj to battle
These trailer trash schools love to put the Horns down...
yah, i hate that shit
make #4 foul out

he’s been playing with 4 for so long

c'mon now, dont be the next oklahomo
mason got schooled on that play.

Love playing from behind

REEEEEEEMIX BABBBYYYYIIIIII
good defensive stop
damn...running out of time!
man i'm getting nervous...

almost like the Fiesta Bowl

FUCK YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! lOOOOLLLLLLY POP
thank you GJ!!
Second straight perfect D

Down one. Come on Horns.

i think that was Mason
HOOK EM HORNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
arkansas is self destructing. that was a terrible possession. they were acting like they were up by 7 with 20 seconds left.
TTTTTTTEEEEEXXXXXXAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
FFFFFIIIIIGGGGHHHHTTTTT
That fucken blows will probably have to rely on a 3
FIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
monster dunk, sob
james should not have bit on that fake
yea that was bad
Horrible D by James

Why run out on Washington?

NO SHIT! Where is the progress Damion?
i was thinking the exact same thing.
bad play by James
♫make it rain♫ w/ AJ?
We scored 7 with 16 secs last night!
we make a 3, foul them, they suck at the FT line
are u kidding me
wow JAmes should have just shot those rebounds....
take the easy shot
R U KIDDING ME!?!
this team can be such a let down...
all we needed was a quick 2... damn!
unbeFUCKINGlieavable
Terrible shooting.
I'm Sick

Unreal. Horrible coaching at the end. Down four extend the freaking game.

So disappointing.

maybe the loss of Atchley really was

THAT big…

Celebrate all you want piggies

You still suck and you will never be as good as Texas at anything. Go home to your trailer and kiss your wife..errr…cousin

good night boys n girls

im not gonna let this no name basketball team (ark) ruin my night, regular season.

the sad thing is how many rebounds we got too

could have easily put back for an easy two

Thats what it looks like when you have no heart
that's what it looks like when you shoot <35%
we play amazingly stupid for a "battle-tested" veteran team
the horns seem to have covered all the keys to the game tonight

except for that part about making open shots. that might’ve helped.

Key #3

It worked in that we got a lot of points in the paint, but we still could’ve fed the post more. Of course, one problem is our inability to feed the post well enough. Pittman, Johnson, and James are all capable of posting up their man. You would think at least one of them will have a huge matchup advantage in a game with their postup abilities. Unfortunately James is around the perimeter too much.

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