What Happened:
No. 8 Texas Tech MBB's second loss of the season
Before Wednesday, the Red Raiders' (15-2, 4-1) lone loss of the season was a respectable one to then No.2 ranked Duke in New York. But Wednesday's midweek loss to Iowa State won't sit as well with the Texas Tech faithful. Poor free throw shooting combined with an off-shooting night for star sophomore Jarrett Culver resulted in the Cyclones' 68-64 win in Lubbock puts the No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks back on level-footing with Tech in the early Big XII regular season title race. The Red Raiders shot 5-of-13 in the seocnd half from the free throw line only marginally less from the field in general (11-of-31).
Saturday, Tech travels to Baylor to face the 10-6 Bears at 5 p.m.
UTSA MBB on a roll...before Middle Tennessee State
The Roadrunners (10-8, 4-1) littered its non-conference schedule with a tough slate playing teams like Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas and UC Irvine, but their record was still shaky heading into Conferece USA play. On top of everything, sophomore Jhivvan Jackson was still working his way back from injury.
But in CUSA competition, Steve Henson's team hit a stride that saw them start of 4-0 including a 76-74 win over previously one-loss North Texas. Jackson is back to his scoring self putting up over 20 points per game and but as the team's first conference loss to Middle Tennessee State (4-14, 1-4), he's doing so on not-so-great shooting percentages (28 points on 37 percent shooting against MTSU).
Regardless, Henson's team is running up and down the court like he wants averaging close to 80 points in conference play so far which would rank in the Top 50 of the nation right now. UTSA travels to UAB this Saturday.
No. 1 North Shore loses to Beaumont United
Beaumont United may have some hype headed its way after Tuesday night's win over No. 1 6A North Shore, 69-59. Kasen Harrison led the way with a game-high 27 points with Justin Pleasant adding 17 points and a team-high six rebounds. The win avenged an early-season loss to the Mustangs and only adds to the Timberwolves' impressive first-year resume.
"The only thing that I was worried about was getting a big signature for our program," Green told Meshach Sullivan of the Beaumont Enterprise. "We needed a big win at home in front of the crowd to let them know that we are for real."
United has already beaten No. 9 Westlake, No. 12 5A Port Arthur Memorial and has a close loss to No. 3 4A Silsbee.
What to Watch
Girls Basketball: No. 1 Cedar Hill at No. 2 DeSoto at 6 p.m.
It's not every day we get a clash of No. 1 vs No. 2, in the last two games between these two teams, the Longhorns won both, 49-36 and 62-49. In both games, it was Cedar Hill's Dajinae McCarty who led both teams in scoring.
WBB: TCU (12-4, 2-3) at No. 11 Texas (14-3, 4-1), 1 p.m.
The Horned Frogs have never beaten Texas in Austin and the Longhorns hold a 40-3 all-time record over TCU. But two of the three Horned Frogs' wins came under current head coach Raegan Pebley including a 79-77 win last season in Fort Worth.
