Texas, Texas Tech arrive in Kansas City on an uptick

For men’s basketball teams that disappointed this season, Texas and Texas Tech arrived at the Big 12 Tournament feeling upbeat.

The Longhorns won their final two games, beating Baylor and Kansas State. The Red Raiders split during the final week, defeating Oklahoma State and losing narrowly to Baylor.

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“We have steadily made progress and it’s starting to show,” Tech coach Tubby Smith said. “We’re shooting better. We’re defending better, we’ve grown up a lot.”

Tech will have to take another large step if it wants to continue it season. The 10th-seeded Red Raiders, 13-18, meet seventh-seeded Texas, 19-12, a team that needs to continue to pile up credentials for an NCAA Tournament at-large spot.

The Longhorns swept the regular-season series and have won 13 of the past 14 meetings. But Texas coach Rick Barnes expects a slog, not unlike the previous meeting, won by Texas 56-41 on Feb. 14 in Austin.

“Every game (with Tech), it’s a grind because they’re going to make it a possession game,” Barnes said. “They don’t give you anything easy. We expect the same thing.”

The Longhorns picked up an important victory over Baylor, halting a four-game losing streak. Guard Isaiah Taylor’s teardrop with 4.8 seconds remaining provided the game winner. He came up big later in the week against the Wildcats with 10 points and six assists.

“I think we’re playing well,” Barnes said. “Guys are starting to find their way a little bit. If we can get the consistency, we feel good where we are.”

Texas and Oklahoma State come to the Big 12 Tournament favored to reach the NCAA Tournament, but a quick exit, coupled with developments in other conference tournaments could spoil their postseason plans.

Tech would love to play the spoiler for the Longhorns.

The Red Raiders got a career-best 28 points against Baylor from junior guard Devaugntah Williams, who hit eight of nine three-pointers.

Freshman guard Keenan Evans also has come on strong lately. He had 15 against the Bears and is averaging 10 points over the last four games.

Tech is young. Smith has used 10 different lineups this season, including one that had four freshmen and a sophomore.

“When you think we started the season with seven new players and only had two players on the roster who have significantly started,” Smith said. “We were young. We are young. But we have started to turn the corner.”

This story was originally published March 10, 2015 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Texas, Texas Tech arrive in Kansas City on an uptick."