ESPN Men's Basketball

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Moments before a final half of basketball that may have decided the fate of Texas’ season, coach Rick Barnes stood before a dry-erase board in the Longhorns’ locker room.

On one side, Barnes scribbled three letters: “N-I-T.”

Then he took a step to his right and jotted down four more: “N-C-A-A.”

Barnes put down the marker and looked at his team.

“Who are we?” he asked the Longhorns. “Which one would you put your name under?”

By the time Texas left the Sprint Center, the question had been answered.

In a game that so many predicted they would lose, the Longhorns fought back from an 11-point deficit and defeated Iowa State 71-65 in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament. Along with propelling them into Friday’s semifinal against Missouri, the victory significantly enhanced the résumé of a Texas team that entered the contest on the NCAA tournament bubble.

Now 20-12, the Horns feel much better about their chances of earning a 14th consecutive bid under Barnes, who isn’t the type to politick to the selection committee.

He shouldn’t have to.

Texas finished 9-9 in what is generally regarded as the second-best league in the country behind the Big Ten. The Longhorns’ strength of schedule is No. 20 in the country according to ESPN's InsideRPI, and they have only one defeat (at Oklahoma State) that can be viewed as a “bad loss.”

Thursday’s victory over Iowa State also should turn some heads considering the Cyclones -- who tied for third in the Big 12 standings -- entered the game touting wins in four of their previous five contests. Texas’ win Thursday came before 18,792 people, most of whom were in support of Iowa State.

“You love to walk into other gyms and quiet their fans,” UT guard J’Covan Brown said.

Texas led 65-59 with 2 minutes, 55 seconds left before Iowa State scored six consecutive points to force a tie. But rather than flounder in the face of adversity, the Longhorns flourished.

With 36 seconds left, Brown spun into the lane and swished a floater as he was fouled. He sank the ensuing free throw to convert the 3-point play to give Texas a 68-65 lead. It was yet another huge shot for a player whose career has been defined by gut-check moments.

Brown scored seven of his game-high 23 points in the second half.

“A few seconds before I hit that shot, Coach was like, ‘Are you feeling it?’” said Brown, a junior. “I told him I was, and he let me go out and do my thing. It gives you a lot of confidence when your coach has your back like that.”

Brown’s performance this season -- he averages a Big 12-best 20.1 points -- is even more impressive considering he’s on a team that features five freshmen among its top seven players. Opposing defenses are geared to stop Brown, yet he still finds ways to score. His game winner Thursday came against Iowa State’s Chris Babb, who is regarded as one of the top defenders in the Big 12.

“[Brown] is a gifted offensive player,” Barnes said. “He has such great vision. On that last play he had three or four different options, and he picked the right one to get the ball where it needed to be.”

The Cyclones still had a chance after Brown’s clutch basket, but standout Royce White lost control of the ball on the perimeter, and it ended up in the hands of Texas forward Jonathan Holmes. Iowa State immediately fouled Holmes, and the freshman made both free throws to make it 70-65 with 22 seconds left.

Ballgame.

As proud as he was of Brown, Barnes was also ecstatic about the play of freshman point guard Myck Kabongo, who has been on a steady incline all season. Kabongo finished with 11 points, five assists and no turnovers -- Texas had only six turnovers as a team -- and he played excellent defense on Iowa State 3-point ace Scott Christopherson.

A senior, Christopherson entered Thursday’s game averaging 21.8 points in his previous five contests and had made 19 of 36 3-point attempts during that span. Pestered by Kabongo, he scored just 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting and missed four of his six attempts from beyond the arc.

As a team, the Cyclones made just five 3-pointers Thursday. They came in averaging nine per game.

Texas now advances to play another strong shooting team in Missouri. The Tigers are shooting 49.9 percent from the field, a mark that ranks third in the nation. Mizzou defeated Texas 84-73 in Columbia on Jan. 14 and 67-66 in Austin on Jan. 30.

“We feel good about this win,” Brown said. “But we can’t let our young guys celebrate too much. We’ve got another big one tomorrow.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Quick thoughts from Texas' 71-65 victory over Iowa State.

Overview: Texas' streak of 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances under Rick Barnes may be extended another year. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but the Longhorns certainly have to feel much better about their chances of earning an at-large bid after defeating the No. 3-seeded Cyclones in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament at the Sprint Center. Texas, which improved to 20-12 overall, entered the game on the bubble. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi had Texas as one of his last teams in before Thursday's tipoff.

Just as he has countless times throughout his career, junior guard J'Covan Brown came through in the clutch. The conference's leading scorer broke a 65-65 tie by converting a three-point play with 36.3 seconds remaining. Iowa State turned it over on the other end, and Texas' Jonathan Holmes came up with the loose ball. Holmes was fouled and hit both free throws to make it 70-65. Iowa State had no chance after that.

Brown had a game-high 23 points for Texas while point guard Myck Kabongo added 11. Royce White had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Cyclones.

Turning point: Texas trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half before going on a 26-8 run that was capped by Kabongo's deep 3-pointer with 11:12 remaining. The scoring march provided a huge jolt of momentum for Texas. Iowa State fought back and tied the game twice but could never take the lead.

Key player: Because of Texas' up-and-down season, Brown hasn't received the attention he deserves. He is one of the best pure scorers in the nation - and the fact that he's averaging 20 points a game on a team dominated by freshmen makes his success even more impressive, because he is the focal point of opposing defenses.

Key stat: Iowa State's biggest strength is its 3-point shooting. But the Cyclones were just 5-of-18 from beyond the arc Thursday.

Miscellaneous: Texas won despite playing without senior forward Alexis Wangmene, who is out for the season after breaking his wrist in Saturday's loss at Kansas. Wangmene averages just 4.6 points and 4.7 rebounds, but his energy and post presence was invaluable for the Longhorns.

What's next: Texas advances to play No. 2 seed Missouri in Friday's semifinal. The Longhorns lost twice to the Tigers this season, including a 67-66 defeat in Austin on Jan. 30. Iowa State's season is far from over, as the Cyclones are a lock to make the NCAA tournament. Fred Hoiberg's team is 22-10 and 12-6 in Big 12 play. Iowa State was 3-13 in conference games last season.

Editor’s note: ESPN.com writers Eamonn Brennan, Jason King and Myron Medcalf are joined by ESPN Insider John Gasaway to discuss four burning questions in college basketball.

Seems everywhere you look, there's a jumbled conference race. Which one intrigues you the most?

Eamonn Brennan: The Pac-12. And I’m not kidding. Unlike most leagues, this one is wide-open. Sure, Cal is the favorite, but Washington is coming on strong and Oregon is hanging around. Plus, none of the top teams in the conference are so good that they can't be upset by any of the dregs on any given night ... AND there's a legitimate possibility these guys will end up fighting for, what, one at-large bid? It's downright fascinating.

John Gasaway: The ACC this year intrigues me. No league's been dominated by two teams the way this one’s been dominated by a certain two teams. But in 2012 we have two feisty newcomers in the form of Florida State and Virginia. In the standings and in terms of per-possession performance, all four teams are more or less equal right now. This shapes up as an epic confrontation between traditional haves and have-nots, and it's going to be a jewel of a conference race. And in closing, I wish to offer a subliminal message: Mike Scott for ACC POY. That is all.

Jason King: The Big 12 race intrigues me most. It’s a three-team affair, and I honestly can’t decide which is better between Baylor, Missouri and Kansas. I thought it was the Tigers, but then they lost to a dreadful Oklahoma State team. Then I switched to the Jayhawks, but then they were upset by Iowa State. Baylor has already lost to both schools, but there’s no shame in falling at Allen Fieldhouse, and the Bears have bounced back nicely from the Mizzou defeat by winning three straight. Baylor is clearly the most talented team, but I’m not sure that even matters. I expect there to be a three-way tie for first when Kansas visits Waco on Feb. 8.

Myron Medcalf: The Big 12. Kansas, Missouri and Baylor are all set to battle over the next week or so. Then you have this Iowa State team that’s been gold at home and played its way into the conversation. So many teams struggling on the road. I think there will be a lot of movement in the Big 12 standings in the coming weeks. Should be fun.

In order, who would make up your top three right now in national coach of the year voting?

Brennan: Steve Fisher immediately and unflinchingly replaced one first-round NBA draft pick, three senior starters and the heart of last year's team, and look at the Aztecs just one year later. Remarkable. Then let’s go with Steve Prohm. The first-year coach has done a brilliant job guiding Murray State through its as-yet undefeated campaign, with all the unique motivational challenges and solutions that kind of quest entails. I’ll take John Calipari at third. Maybe it’s more of a statement inclusion than anything else, but every year we expect Kentucky to be good (for good reason), but we tend to underrate the job Calipari does not only in recruiting these players but in getting them to play stifling team defense together from Day 1. Managing stars is hard enough when you've got one or two. Calipari manages entire teams of All-Americans and future lottery picks and does it better than anyone year in and year out.

Gasaway: Thad Matta at No. 1. This is the best team he's had in Columbus, even if no one realizes it yet. John Calipari: This is the best team he's had in Lexington, and as good as this visually spectacular defense is, the offense is even better. Then Randy Bennett at Saint Mary’s. If I had to choose one D-I coach to take a randomly selected group of five D-I players and score the most points per possession, I would take a long look at Bennett.

King: Right now I’d rank them in this order: Frank Haith (Missouri), Tom Crean (Indiana) and Bill Self (Kansas). There’s usually a transition period with a first-year coach, but that hasn’t been the case in Columbia. Despite a flurry of offseason controversy and the loss of one of his top players to a knee injury, Haith has turned the Tigers into legitimate Final Four contenders. Crean’s team has struggled of late, but touts victories over Kentucky and Ohio State. Not many teams in the country lost as much as Self’s Jayhawks, who returned just one starter from last year’s squad. The Jayhawks are as thin as they’ve ever been under Self, yet somehow he has them back in the top 10 and in position to win an eighth straight Big 12 title.

Medcalf: Steve Fisher is No. 1. Look at what he lost and look and what he’s done with that Aztecs program. I’d go with Frank Haith at No. 2. His Missouri team has no size or depth and he might just win the Big 12 anyway. Murray State’s Steve Prohm is my third. A first-year coach who’s undefeated heading into February despite losing three starters? Impressive stuff.

Which currently unranked team would you NOT want to face off with in March?

Brennan: West Virginia doesn't look like much fun, I'll tell you that. Kevin Jones can bury you before you know it. And despite the Huskies' struggles, I doubt too many teams want to see UConn in an elimination game. And I would happily take a pass on Middle Tennessee State, which plays hard-nosed pressure defense and forces a lot of turnovers, and could be an absolute beast to deal with in a neutral-court situation in March.

Gasaway: The best team in the country outside the Top 25 right now is Wichita State. The Shockers have dropped a couple of games in Missouri Valley play and, unlike a certain Valley rival of theirs, they don't have a high-scoring star whose name can be effortlessly linked to a smash hit single. (Teach me how to Garrett Stutz!) All Gregg Marshall's team does is combine outstanding offense with punishing defense. You do not want to see this team in your bracket. The Shockers were born to be badly under-seeded, and people will yell at you incorrectly when you lose to them.

King: I feel sorry for the No. 3- or No. 4-seeded school that draws Long Beach State in the NCAA tournament. The 49ers are one of the top 30 or 40 teams in the country. Dan Monson’s squad has traveled all over the country and faced Kansas, North Carolina, Louisville, Kansas State, Xavier and Pittsburgh. It won’t be intimidated by anyone.

Medcalf: Iowa State, although the Cyclones should be ranked next week. They have experienced transfers (Chris Allen has played in two Final Fours). And they have college basketball’s enigma in Royce White. Who do you put on a guy who’s 6-foot-8, 270 pounds and can play point guard? Kansas and Kansas State are witnesses.

Because of some high-profile misses, the perception is that officiating has been awful this season. What's your take?

Brennan: It hasn't been universally awful, but it's been bad more often -- and more glaringly -- than not. The good news, I think, is that the restricted area has made it easier for officials to call the block/charge, which is always the most difficult and most maddening play in the game. But beyond the high-profile bad calls and the usual complaints, the real issue this year has been the way referees manage games. Now, after NCAA officials coordinator John Adams sent last week's memo, I fear we'll see a marked rise in technical fouls as the officials' needle swings back in the other direction. What a thankless gig, huh?

Gasaway: The officiating this year has been no more or less awful than customary. True, the missed goaltending call in the West Virginia-Syracuse game was both blatantly obvious in real time and unusually decisive. It occurred in the closing seconds, and it had the net effect of deducting two points from one team in what was then a two-point game. I think people reacted to that decisiveness, and I don't blame them. That being said, in any given year human-based officiating is what it is.

King: I think the officiating has been noticeably bad. In the last week, I’ve seen three really bad calls that affected the outcome of games. West Virginia got hosed against Syracuse, as we all know. Texas’ Myck Kabongo was clearly hacked on a game-winning shot attempt against Missouri as time expired. And moments before Iowa State’s Royce White hit a game winner to beat Kansas State, Wildcats guard Rodney McGruder was knocked from his feet as he attempted a shot from the free throw line on the other end. What’s even more frustrating is when refs call ticky-tacky fouls to make up for missing the hard ones.

Medcalf: I don’t think the problem is with officiating. The problem is with the limitations of instant replay. Coaches and officials need more flexibility -- not unlimited review power -- to fix the wrongs. I think officiating has been fine. The late-game blunders have made things look worse than they really are.

AUSTIN, Texas -- In all the fury, Frank Haith implored Michael Dixon to remain calm.

“There is no time to panic and no time to stress,” the Missouri coach told his guard.

Really, if ever there were a time, this would have been it. Dixon had just committed a flagrant foul by swinging his elbow above the shoulders of Julien Lewis. The ensuing foul shot and possession gave Texas a 66-65 lead. And No. 4 Missouri (20-2, 7-2) was suddenly down on the road with less than a minute to go after seemingly taking complete control just minutes earlier.

But Dixon came right back, found a lane to the basket, lifted a left-handed layup over Lewis and pushed the Tigers to a 67-66 lead and an eventual victory by that score in front of 12,203 at the Frank Erwin Center Monday night.

“In the heat of battle, things happen,” Dixon said of the flagrant call. “You got to look at the next play and that was what we did and we were able to win.”

That Missouri was able to look ahead instead of behind was important because what it had left in the rearview was a path of self-destruction. The Tigers, with the memories of a horrible road loss to Oklahoma State lingering, held a 10-point lead with less than five minutes left in this game. There was also the less-than-impressive home win over Texas Tech bouncing around between the ears.

The Tigers had to eschew the whispers and the yells coming from the home crowd.

“Coach has been stressing growth from the OSU game and kind of how we let that game slip away,” Missouri's Kim English said. “We always stayed true to that. We talked about late in games two things have to be consistent -- defensive stops and offensive execution.”

Neither were exactly flawless in the final five minutes. But in the final 40 seconds, both were. First was Dixon's score. Then came the defensive stop.

Texas has the most prolific scorer in the Big 12 in J'Covan Brown, and the junior is able to squeeze off and make shots from everywhere. With 27 seconds left, there was little doubt the ball was going to find its way into his hands.

Missouri decided to come out in a zone on the final possession and that appeared to throw the Texas offense. When the ball finally did find its way into Brown's hands, there were only 12 seconds left and he was stymied.

“I was just trying to find a gap and there wasn't nothing,” Brown said.

So Brown passed to freshman Myck Kabongo. His shot didn't clear the rim.

“He did get fouled,” complained Texas coach Rick Barnes.

Not in the eyes of the officials.

Barnes did acknowledge that, while that play mattered, it was not the one that lost the game for UT. Instead, it was the Longhorns' inability to contain Dixon, not just on the last play, but on plenty of others as well. The junior went 9-of-10 for 21 points in 27 minutes. During one stretch, Dixon rattled in three straight jumpers over Brown to give Missouri a 12-point lead early in the second half.

“I gave up basically half his points,” Brown said of his defensive effort.

“I felt like from an offensive standpoint he had nice pop and nice focus,” Haith said of Dixon. “His play allowed us to get some separation.”

Now Missouri must separate itself in a Big 12 race that has allowed for anything but. The Tigers, who already have a road win against No. 6 Baylor, get their first of two shots at No. 8 Kansas on Saturday. At 7-1, the Jayhawks, winners of the past seven conference titles, lead the conference race.

As for Texas (13-9, 3-6), the Longhorns have lost seven games by six points or less. Texas may not have enough on its résumé to make it to a 14th straight NCAA tournament without a strong run in the second half of the conference season and in the Big 12 tournament.

How the game was won: Missouri got to the rim when it wanted to and, more importantly, when it needed to.

And trailing by 66-65 with less than 50 seconds left, the No. 4 Tigers desperately needed to get a basket. Michael Dixon Jr. came through, taking it down the left side and using his left hand to float in a layup to give Missouri the 67-66 win at the Frank Erwin Center on Monday night.

The layup capped off a furious stretch in which Dixon went from goat to hero. One possession earlier Dixon had been whistled for a flagrant foul on offense. That foul gave Texas two free throws and possession. The Longhorns took advantage with four points and took the lead, 66-65.

It didn't last.

Dixon went right to the rack on the next play and converted the layup for the lead.

It was over when: J'Covan Brown passed on the final shot of the game. Texas was within one with the ball and 27 seconds left. After milling around at the top of the key, Texas got the ball to Brown, the Big 12's leading scorer, with 12 seconds left. Rather than make a move, Brown threw a wild pass across the court to freshman Myck Kabongo. The freshman tried to drive the baseline but short-armed a shot that barely hit the bottom of the rim.


Stat of the game: Texas is now 0-7 in games decided by two possessions or less. Three of those losses have come against top-10 teams -- Kansas, Baylor and now Missouri. Just like it did against Kansas, Texas had the lead late only to lose the game. Against Missouri, Texas crawled back from a dozen down to take the lead with 55 seconds left. But when it came down to a final shot, Texas could not convert.


What it means for Texas: Rick Barnes gathered his coaches at the start of the month and told them these 31 days could be rough. He proved to be prophetic. Texas, which had dropped only two nonconference games, went 3-6 in January. The latest loss, although respectable just like the Kansas and Baylor games, may have pushed Texas right off the bubble for the NCAA tournament.


What it means for Missouri: The Tigers have been suspect as of late, losing to Oklahoma State and not being all that impressive against Texas Tech. But the Tigers, who have yet to face Kansas, have now notched two tough road wins at Baylor and against Texas. But in order for Missouri to grab a No. 1 seed, it is going to have to beat Kansas and win the Big 12 Conference.

So much for a slow Saturday. College basketball fans and pundits alike should know better by now, but we always assume the worst on a supposedly “slow” weekend.

Let’s change the rules, based on what we’ve seen today. If you survey the weekend slate and you can’t find any meaningful games and potential upsets that you’re overly interested in, that means it’s time to call Earl and the crew (everybody has a friend named Earl), stock the fridge and get ready for some good basketball. If this was a lukewarm weekend in college basketball, what qualifies as a great one?

Iowa State 72, No. 5 Kansas 64

Many laughed when Fred Hoiberg began his tenure at Iowa State by recruiting from a pool of players known for their checkered pasts. Royce White, who left Minnesota two seasons ago after a tumultuous stay, led the bunch. But Hoiberg looks like a genius right now after the Cyclones handed No. 5 KU its first Big 12 loss of the season. The win snapped both the Jayhawks' 13-game winning streak over Iowa State and their 10-game overall winning streak (they hadn’t lost since Dec. 19).

The postgame court-storming was well-deserved for the 'Clones and their fans. Hoiberg has as much job security as any coach in the country based on his legendary career in Ames, which allowed him to pursue so many transfers without worry. In other words, he’d get a mulligan if things didn’t work out.

Against Kansas, however, Hoiberg proved that he’s more than a risk-taking recruiter. He can coach, too. Iowa State, a squad that suffered an 82-73 loss at Kansas on Jan. 14, led by three points at halftime. But that didn’t last. The Jayhawks scored 11 unanswered points early in the second half. The crowd’s energy dropped after that KU run, but Iowa State kept fighting, something it had failed to do down the stretch in its earlier loss to the Jayhawks.

White led the charge. With his team leading 56-53 and five minutes to play, he scored the Cyclones' next eight points (three straight layups and a pair of free throws). He entered the game as a 51 percent free throw shooter -- ISU was the Big 12’s worst free throw shooting team at 61 percent overall -- but he was 6-for-8 from the charity stripe in the second half. He finished with a team-high 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists, making up for his six turnovers. The team was 25-for-34 from the charity stripe.

So yes, the same Iowa State squad that lost at Drake Nov. 15 looks like an NCAA tournament team right now -- no matter what my colleague Doug Gottlieb might tweet. At 5-3, the Cyclones are off to their best Big 12 start in a dozen years and sure seem like they won't be fading away anytime soon.

No. 4 Syracuse 63, West Virginia 61

It just can’t happen. Not in late January with the stakes so high. Not when it’s so blatant. Officials in this game missed one of the more obvious and critical goaltending calls of the season. In the final seconds, West Virginia's Truck Bryant air-balled a 3-pointer that ended up in Deniz Kilicli’s hands with his team down by a bucket. Kilicli’s layup was swatted away in mid-air by Syracuse's Baye Keita, but replays showed what looked like a clear goaltending violation by Keita. Officials never blew their whistles.

West Virginia got the ball back and Kevin Jones (20 points, eight rebounds) missed a deep 3-pointer to win the game, but the final outcome might have changed had that crew flagged Keita for goaltending. Now granted, WVU had its chances. Brandon Triche (18 points) hit a pair of free throws with a minute and a half to play and the Mountaineers missed four consecutive shots. But the no-call clearly impacted the game.

Syracuse struggled in its third consecutive game without Fab Melo. The Orange just haven’t looked like the same squad without him and his defensive presence. West Virginia secured an astounding plus-21 (41-20) rebounding edge over the Cuse and had nearly as many offensive boards (19) as the Orange had total. How does that happen? It’s not like the Mountaineers are the biggest team in the country. They were just tougher than Syracuse most of the afternoon. And had it not been for that missed goaltending call, West Virginia might have avoided its 13th loss to the Cuse in 14 meetings.

No. 7 Baylor 76, Texas 71

With 4:09 to go, Texas' Myck Kabongo hit a 3-pointer as Pierre Jackson committed a ridiculous foul to put him on the line for a four-point play opportunity. Texas had been down by 12 points early in the second half, but Kabongo’s shot cut Baylor’s advantage to just one. Cameras panned to Baylor coach Scott Drew on the sidelines. He had the “I can’t believe this is happening at home” look on his face.

Perry Jones (22 points, 14 rebounds) was far more aggressive than he’d been in some of his efforts, but Baylor couldn’t keep the pressure on the Longhorns and nearly blew one at home. J’Covan Brown scored 32 points (11-for-22), his third consecutive 30-point effort. But he had way more time to create a better shot than the deep 3-ball he took with 14 seconds on the clock. His team was down by three points in the closing seconds, so I understand why he’d take a deep shot, but he didn’t have to shoot it when he did. He had more time on the clock.

Here’s where you have to have more question marks about Baylor, though. The Bears are at home. Texas shot 36 percent from the field in the first half and was 1-for-12 from beyond the arc before halftime. Seemed like an opportunity for Baylor to flex its muscle. But it turned into another lukewarm finish for the Bears.

No. 13 Florida 69, No. 16 Mississippi State 57

The Bulldogs just couldn’t handle Florida’s inside-outside attack. Patric Young (12 points, six rebounds) was solid for the Gators, especially after halftime. Bradley Beal led the Gators’ talented backcourt with 19 points. The nation’s leaders in 3-point field goals hit 11 of them as they won their fifth straight and 17th in a row at home.

Arnett Moultrie was 4-for-10 and scored 12 points for a Bulldogs team that committed 14 turnovers. It was MSU's third SEC road loss of the season. At 5-3 in league play, they’d better find a way to compete away from home. They’re certainly talented, but the Bulldogs have really struggled on the road. Thought this one would have been a closer game, but give the Gators credit. They can spread teams out with their guard play and minimize their size disadvantages, a tactic they used to perfection against the Bulldogs.

No. 1 Kentucky 74, LSU 50

The Wildcats are in Beast Mode right now. They’re just crushing teams. LSU entered this game following a tight road loss at Mississippi State. But the Wildcats are just a different animal. Terrence Jones led all scorers with a season-high 27 points and the Wildcats held LSU to a 1-for-9 clip from the 3-point line. Just two Tigers reached double figures.

Although LSU is only 2-5 in the SEC, you have to wonder how dangerous the Wildcats can be in March when a guy like Jones can explode despite some inconsistency this season. He entered the game averaging 11.6 ppg and he only scored five points against Georgia on Tuesday. But this game was further proof that Kentucky is a “pick your poison” kind of opponent. How do you defend a team with that number of studs? The Wildcats have so many weapons.

Syracuse is deep. Ohio State has balance. But no team in America looks as potent as Kentucky right now.

Some more observations from the afternoon games ...

• It Happened! It Happened! It Happened! Towson wins! The Tigers had set a record with 41 consecutive Division I losses, but on Saturday, a miracle happened when the Tigers beat UNC Wilmington 66-61 despite a 1-for-8 mark from the 3-point line. Marcus Damas scored 18 points. There were shaky moments late -- the Seahawks hit some late 3s after Towson took a 60-53 lead with 1:25 to play -- but the Tigers held on and a justifiable celebration ensued. For reaction from coach Pat Skerry and the Tigers, read Andy Katz's story in the Nation blog.
• Marquette did its normal slow-start/big-finish thing at Villanova, but Dana O'Neil was at the game, so I'll let her tell you more about it.
• Duke nearly squandered a 22-point second-half lead against a young St. John’s team. The Blue Devils' 83-76 victory over the Red Storm was nothing to hang their hats on. The Devils should be disappointed that they gave up a late run that could have cost them the game.
• Middle Tennessee State and Vanderbilt clashed Saturday in a tight game between the two Tennessee schools. MTSU, 20-2 entering the game, has been one of the bigger surprises on the national scene. The Blue Raiders start four transfers who weren’t with the team last season. But their story hit a roadblock in their 84-77 loss at Vanderbilt. The loss snapped Middle's 12-game winning streak and gave Vandy its 10th win in its last 11 games.
• Is Pitt about to launch a big comeback this season? I’m not sure. But the Panthers have won two in a row after an impressive 72-60 win over No. 10 Georgetown, their fifth win in their last six meetings with the Hoyas. They lost their first eight Big East games, but Nasir Robinson had 23 points on 9-of-9 shooting, Lamar Patterson scored 18 and Ashton Gibbs added 13 for the Panthers, who have now won an incredible 12 straight home games against top-10 opponents.
• The Mountain West Conference is legit. Proof? No. 12 San Diego State took a tough 77-60 road loss at Colorado State on Saturday, despite Jamaal Franklin’s 24 points. After a brutal travel week in the Rockies, the loss snapped SDSU’s 11-game overall winning streak and its 58-game win streak against unranked foes, which had been the longest such run in the country. Colorado State’s dwindling at-large hopes certainly got a huge boost with this victory, the school's first over a ranked team since 2004.

As we get ready for Monday's showdown in Lawrence between Baylor and Kansas, here are this week’s Big 12 power rankings:

1. Baylor: The Bears aren’t just talented. They’re tough. Three of Baylor’s last six wins have come by two points. Freshman Quincy Miller is beginning to find his groove for a team that scored 106 points in Saturday’s win over Oklahoma State. Monday’s matchup with Kansas at the Phog may be the most anticipated game of the Big 12 season.

2. Kansas: Tyshawn Taylor scored 28 points in Saturday’s come-from-behind victory against Iowa State at Allen Fieldhouse, where Kansas has won 84 of its past 85 games. As good as Taylor and forward Thomas Robinson have been, the Jayhawks won’t beat Baylor unless complementary players such as Travis Releford, Jeff Withey and Elijah Johnson step up.

3. Missouri: Frank Haith has to be proud of his Tigers for the way they’ve bounced back from a Jan. 7 shellacking by Kansas State. Missouri beat Iowa State on the road last week before walloping Texas in Columbia on Saturday. Mizzou’s lack of size could be a factor against Baylor in Waco on Saturday.

4. Iowa State: The Cyclones lost to two of the Big 12’s top teams (Missouri and Kansas) last week, but they didn’t look all that bad in the process. The Missouri game wasn’t decided until the final few minutes, and Iowa State led Kansas by as many as 12 points. ISU should be favored in its next three games (against Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Texas).

5. Oklahoma: Lon Kruger’s team pulled a mild upset Saturday when it defeated Kansas State 82-73 in Norman. The Sooners dominated the game from start to finish. Oklahoma is just 1-3 in the Big 12, but its next two games are against bottom-tier teams Texas Tech (at home on Tuesday) and Texas A&M (Saturday in College Station).

6. Kansas State: The Wildcats dropped three spots in the rankings following a home loss to Baylor and a road setback against Oklahoma. Still, no one would be surprised if Kansas State finishes third or fourth in the league -- especially if Rodney McGruder continues to perform at such a high clip. McGruder is averaging 23.3 points in his past three games.

7. Texas: J'Covan Brown scored 34 points in Saturday’s loss at Missouri. The Longhorns were never really in the game. When six of your top eight players are freshmen, every game is going to be a struggle. Myck Kabongo had 12 points and 10 assists, which is encouraging heading into this week’s games against K-State and Kansas.

8. Texas A&M: The Aggies ended a three-game skid by defeating Texas Tech on Saturday in College Station. Monday’s game against Missouri in Columbia, however, could get ugly for an A&M squad that struggles to score. Forward Khris Middleton averages 13.2 points but only shoots 40 percent from the field.

9. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys gave up 106 points against Baylor on Saturday. It’ll be interesting to see if Travis Ford’s squad will show any lingering effects of the lopsided loss when it takes the court Wednesday against Iowa State in Ames. There are seven games remaining against unranked teams.

10. Texas Tech: Billy Gillispie lost to his former boss (Kansas’ Bill Self) and former school (Texas A&M) in the same week. Texas Tech’s best opportunity for a Big 12 win may be Jan. 31 against Oklahoma State in Lubbock.

Texas coach Rick Barnes knew he'd landed one of the fastest recruits in the country when he signed Canadian point guard Myck Kabongo in the fall of 2010.

Occasionally, though, Kabongo seems almost too fast.

Multiple times this season, the 6-foot-1 freshman has sprinted up the court with the basketball and realized that none of his teammates were there with him. Instead of pulling back and waiting for them to catch up, Kabongo often tried to make things happen all by himself, which usually resulted in an ill-advised shot or a turnover.

"I needed to learn how to slow down and run my team," said Kabongo, chuckling during a phone interview with ESPN.com Tuesday night. "They need me to play great for us to be in games. I understand that now."

Apparently so.

Texas has won seven straight games -- all by double digits -- since a pair of early-season losses to Oregon State and North Carolina State. Kabongo is one of the main reasons. The Toronto native is averaging 12.8 points and 6.7 assists in his last six contests, which includes a season-high 18-point effort in Saturday's win over Temple.

Tonight Kabongo will face the toughest test of his career thus far when the Longhorns face No. 6 North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Texas has defeated the Tar Heels the last two seasons, but with a rotation that includes five freshmen and just three experienced players, Kabongo knows he'll have to be at his best if Texas has any hopes of a victory.

"I could try to tell you it's just another game, and it is," Kabongo said. "But at the same time, I'm excited for the opportunity for our team and our guys. It's a chance for us to get better. North Carolina has an NBA front court. It's a great chance for our freshmen to play against guys that are good so we can keep getting better and keep improving.

"I think my guys are ready for it."

That Kabongo refers his teammates as "my guys" says everything you need to know about the freshman's confidence. Junior J'Covan Brown is the Longhorns' top scorer, and Alexis Wangmene and Clint Chapman are seniors. Still, even when he struggled early, Kabongo said he always viewed this as "his" team. That type of mind set has been missing in the Longhorns' backcourt the past few seasons, which may be one of the reasons Texas hasn't advanced past the second round of the NCAA tournament since 2008.

Kabongo is hopeful that will change this season. Texas lost big leads against Oregon State and North Carolina State in a pair of setbacks at the Legends Classic in New Jersey in mid-November. Frustrating as the losses were, Kabongo said they will benefit a young Texas team in the long run.

The Longhorns lost forward Tristan Thompson and guards Cory Joseph and Jordan Hamilton to the NBA draft, and under-appreciated forward Gary Johnson graduated.

"We're finishing games now," he said. "We know now that teams aren't going to quit playing at this level. In high school, if a team is down by 14 in the fourth quarter, they may just give up. But at this level teams are going to continue to push and push and push."

And when that happens, Kabongo must keep his poise. Barnes certainly wants Kabongo to use his speed to push the ball and beat opposing defenses down the court. But he said Kabongo needs to do a better job of "picking his spots."

Carelessness is a trait almost every freshman point must overcome before becoming a high-level player.

"At first, I was just so excited to be out there playing, that I was trying to make a lot of plays that weren't there," Kabongo said. "I was running the floor and no one was running with me. I have to pace myself so that my teammates are running with me when I'm running. I was pushing the fast break when it wasn't there.As the game slows down, I'm starting to realize when I can go and when I can't."

Statisticians track Kabongo's turnovers during games -- but Barnes began doing it in practice just so Kabongo could see how much his miscues were affecting the team.

"That one possession where you don't execute could come back to haunt you at the end of the game," Kabongo said. "I understand I can't make a lot of poor decisions for us to win."

Especially against the Tar Heels.

Here are the latest Big 12 power rankings, which feature a few changes from last week.

1. Baylor: The Bears notched one of the best road wins in school history Saturday when they knocked off BYU 86-83 in front of 22,700 in Provo. Perry Jones III scored a career-high 28 points, but things will only get tougher from here. Baylor plays St. Mary's and West Virginia in this week's Las Vegas Classic before taking on Mississippi State in Dallas on Dec. 28. Baylor needs to get tougher in the paint -- the Bears were outrebounded 41-26 by BYU.

2. Missouri: The Tigers' biggest test to date comes Thursday when they play Illinois in the annual Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis. The showdown lost a bit of its luster when the previously unbeaten Illini were stomped by UNLV in Chicago on Saturday. Don't be surprised if Missouri wins in a blowout.

3. Kansas: Just eight days removed from a minor knee injury, point guard Tyshawn Taylor is expected to return to the court when the Jayhawks face Davidson on Monday in Kansas City. Kansas, which is getting 17.8 points and 11.4 rebounds from Thomas Robinson, visits USC on Thursday to take on the undermanned Trojans.

4. Kansas State: The Wildcats' 71-58 victory Saturday over Alabama was one of the best nonconference victories of the season for a Big 12 squad. Point guard Angel Rodriguez (13 points, seven assists) and forward Jordan Henriquez (17 points, eight boards) provided a huge spark off the bench for a K-State squad that opens play in the Diamond Head Classic on Thursday against struggling Southern Illinois.

5. Texas: The Longhorns are getting better -- fast. Saturday's win over Temple was the seventh in a row for Texas, with each of the victories coming by double digits. After a somewhat slow start, freshman point guard Myck Kabongo is starting to catch on. He's averaged 12.2 points and 6.5 assists in his past five games.

6. Texas A&M: Injured forward Khris Middleton (knee) has returned to the lineup, but it didn't make much difference in Saturday's 20-point loss to Florida. The Aggies, who have yet to beat anyone of any significance, continue to have trouble scoring. They've averaged just 60 points in their past seven games.

7. Oklahoma: Steven Pledger is averaging 19.5 points for a Sooners squad that has been the surprise team of the league. Last week's victories over Arkansas and Houston should provide a huge momentum boost for a team that's adapted quickly to first-year coach Lon Kruger.

8. Iowa State: The Cyclones have just two games between now and Jan. 4. Coach Fred Hoiberg hopes to use that time to find the cohesion that has been missing from his team. Forward Royce White leads Iowa State in points, rebounds and assists.

9. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys have lost four of their past seven games. Highly touted freshman wing LeBryan Nash is shooting just 37.4 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc. Oklahoma State will be hard-pressed Wednesday to beat an athletic Alabama team that will defend the Cowboys harder than they've been defended all season.

10. Texas Tech: Billy Gillispie's rebuilding project continues in Lubbock, where the Red Raiders are preparing for a huge game Wednesday at Oral Roberts, which is coming off a blowout win at Xavier. A victory would give Texas Tech a much-needed jolt of momentum, which they'll certainly need for Gillispie's intense practices during winter break.

KANSAS CITY -- A few days ago, Texas coach Rick Barnes turned to one of his assistants in practice and made a bold prediction about the 2011-12 season.

Well, kind of.

"We're going to be good at something -- at least one thing," Barnes told him. "I'm just not sure what it is yet."

There are indeed plenty of questions surrounding a Longhorns team that had three players -- Tristan Thompson, Jordan Hamilton and Cory Joseph -- selected in the first round of last summer's NBA draft. Six of the nine recruited scholarship players on Texas' roster are freshmen, and there appears to be a serious lack of depth in the paint.

Still, if Barnes is searching for a team strength, it may be a safe bet to look in the backcourt, where highly touted freshman point guard Myck Kabongo will team with junior J'Covan Brown, who is easily the team's top returning player.

Barnes said Kabongo has all the tools to become the next great point guard for a program that has produced standouts such as T.J. Ford and D.J. Augustin.

"He's somewhere in between those two," Barnes said of Kabongo. "He's extremely fast like T.J., but T.J. would pace his game. Myck is a more full throttle. Forget the cruise control. He'd be great this weekend at Talledega. He can beat everyone down the floor with the ball, but he's going to learn to change his pace from time to time so our team can get into a flow."

As much as he needs him to excel with the ball in his hands, Barnes is also counting on Kabongo to assume a leaderhip role for a squad that also lost senior forward Gary Johnson along with the three draft picks.

That's fine with Kabongo, who played high school ball for hard-nosed coach Dan Hurley at St. Benedict's Prep.

"He got me ready, mentally," Kabongo said of Hurley. "Some of these [freshmen] have never been at schools where coaches are going to get after them every day. That's what Coach Barnes does. I just let the young guys know, ‘You can't take it personal. It's part of the game. You've got to be coachable. You can't let what he says on the court affect you off the court.'"

Barnes couldn't say enough good things about Kabongo's attitude -- "I've never seen him in a bad mood," the coach doted -- and work ethic. Apparently some of it has rubbed off on Brown, who has battled consistency issues since arriving at UT two years ago.

Last season, for instance, Brown scored 23 points in a come-from-behind victory at Kansas, but only had three points in the Longhorns' next game against Oklahoma State.

"[Kabongo] is going to impact me big time and get my motor going," said Brown, who averaged 9.8 points last season. "I've got to be consistent every night, no matter who we're playing.

"Sometimes, when we're playing teams that aren't as competitive, I'll get lost in the shuffle. I'll tell myself, ‘I just want to be a defender today and not a scorer.' When it's a big game, I tell my teammates, ‘If you need me, just let me know.' I've got to have the mindset that it's a big game no matter who we're playing."

If Brown doesn't, it could be a tough season for Texas, which has finished no worse than fourth in the Big 12 five of the last six years. The Horns placed second last season with a league record of 13-3.

"We've always set the bar high at Texas," Barnes said. "We're not going to change that."

For the past two years, the college hoops rap game has been held down by one man and one man only. That man is Tennessee's Renaldo Woolridge. His rap name is Swiperboy. And as a basketball player-slash-rapper, he's pretty much one of a kind.

Until now, at least. Apparently, highly-touted Texas freshman Myck Kabongo has emcee ambitions of his own, and he's already planning the release of an album after his first season with the Longhorns. His rap moniker? "Yung Swag."

ESPN High School's Jason Jordan got the lowdown from Kabongo, who describes his rapping style as a cross between J. Cole and Drake.

“Rapping,” Kabongo said matter-of-factly. “It’s just in me. It’s something that I used to play around with and grew to really love. So I decided to do it for real.”

That’s right, Kabongo, Texas’ highly-touted freshman point guard, is joining the ranks of hoopers who double as hip hop emcees. His debut, 15-track album entitled “Late Nights and Early Mornings,” is set to drop next spring after basketball season. [...]

“I’m a very positive person and that comes out in my music,” Kabongo said. “I’m from a tough neighborhood back in Canada so I rap about things I’ve seen and been through and how I overcame things. Now I’m rapping about the college experience. I’d say I’m a motivational rapper. I’ve been in both extremes so that’s what I rap about. That’s my lane.”

Kabongo says "Late Nights and Early Mornings" -- which, I have to admit, is a pretty intriguing album title -- won't be for sale in the spring; presumably, it'll be a free download. It will also feature verses from former Texas and current NBA star Kevin Durant, who also made an appearance on Wale's 2010 mixtape "More About Nothing."

Oh, and in case you needed a Yung Swag endorsement from another incoming freshman star, Duke guard Austin Rivers has you covered:

“Everything I’ve heard from him goes hard,” said Rivers, a freshman scoring guard at Duke. “He’s nice.”

For those of you that don't speak millennial, in this case, allow me to translate: "He's nice" means "he raps in a manner that entertains me." You're welcome.

Anyway, it appears that Swiperboy isn't the only rapper in the college hoops game these days. Let the search for college basketball's best emcee begin.

ESPN recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi takes a look at the top point guards entering college for the 2011-12 season.

Texas was one of the losers at the NBA draft deadline as Jordan Hamilton and Cory Joseph were among the players who decided to leave school. With the Longhorns also losing Dogus Balbay and Jai Lucas, who each completed their eligibility, the team needed another guard.

That issue appeared to be taken care of Monday when former Maryland signee Sterling Gibbs, the younger brother of Pitt standout Ashton Gibbs, announced his commitment to Texas on Twitter.

Sterling Gibbs was released from his letter of intent following the retirement of Gary Williams, who described the 6-foot-1 Gibbs on signing day as "a very smart point guard." According to the Washington Post, the writing was on the wall with the arrival of new coach Mark Turgeon.

The new coach said that if any recruits did not stay in the fold that it would be a mutual decision. This past Saturday, when Turgeon took a commitment from junior guard Seth Allen of Fredericksburg Christian, it was a clear indication that he was willing to part ways with Gibbs. Turgeon had recruited Allen when he was at Texas A&M and Allen said the two had developed a strong coach-player relationship.

In Gibbs, Texas gains a player who it could potentially play alongside J'Covan Brown and Myck Kabongo, the McDonald's All-American point guard from Canada who is expected to make an immediate impact.

It's also some positive news for the Longhorns, who have been hurt by the unexpected departures to the NBA and even seen state senators criticize a $200,000 raise for coach Rick Barnes amidst a state budget crisis.

The thought of a Canadian basketball player succeeding in U.S. hoops isn't exactly a foreign concept. Two words: Steve Nash. Maybe you've heard of him.

But the idea that Canada would not only become a pipeline for highly rated hoops talent but that that pipeline would stretch from one end of North America to another -- ending in Austin, Texas -- well, that's a slightly weirder concept.

It's true, though. Two highly rated Texas freshmen in the class of 2010 hail from Canada. Tristan Thompson, 2010's No. 4-ranked power forward, and Cory Joseph, the No. 4 shooting guard in the incoming class, both hail from Findlay College Prep in Las Vegas, but before that they were citizens of that friendly hockey-loving nation north of the border. In 2011, they'll be joined by the No. 2 point guard in his class, Myck Kabongo, who was born in Zaire and moved to Canada at the age of six. Kabongo recently gave his verbal commitment to the Longhorns.

Why head south? Kabongo told Jeff Goodman and Evan Daniels that the "best players are here in America," which is right. Except for Chris Bosh. Wait. Never mind. (Sorry, Raptors fans.)

Still, that explanation doesn't exactly explain Barnes' sudden ability to recruit the best young Canadian players. Whatever he's doing, it's working. Three of his five starters for 2011 could very well be of the Canadian persuasion. The next step, then? Getting some maple leaf flags to the Frank Erwin Center. Because that would be awesome.