Texas vs. Tennessee

The Longhorns keep proving bigtexxx right.

Texas Suffers 2nd Straight Blowout Loss

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A smattering of boos in the first half. Another key injury. Another big loss.

The Texas Longhorns, ranked No. 2 just a week ago with early-season dreams of a potential Final Four, now find themselves befuddled after a second straight blowout loss.

While the first came on the road against top-ranked Duke, Saturday's 95-78 loss to undefeated but unranked Tennessee snapped a 33-game nonconference home winning streak.

Chris Lofton scored 21 points and C.J. Watson added 17 for Tennessee (6-0), which hit 12 3-pointers, forced 22 turnovers and routinely sliced through the defense of the Longhorns (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP).

"This is a great win for Tennessee," said first-year Volunteers coach Bruce Pearl. "This game meant a lot to us. We hadn't played against this type of competition."

It was the kind of dominating victory Volunteers fans are more used to seeing from Pat Summitt's women's teams. Unfortunately for Texas, the Longhorns' sloppy play the last two games has become too familiar.

P.J. Tucker had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Texas (8-2), which outrebounded Tennessee 37-25 but couldn't stop the Volunteers from cashing in on the rash of turnovers with 3-pointers.

Texas gave up 12 3-pointers in the 31-point loss to Duke, nine by All-America J.J. Redick. Lofton filled in where Redick left off, hitting five 3s, some when he was wide open, others with a defender in his face.

Tennessee built a 48-28 halftime lead behind seven 3-pointers. Their tough perimeter defense confused the Longhorns guards and kept them from dumping the ball into center LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished with 15 points but took just two shots in the first half, five for the game.

"I didn't think we were aggressive enough offensively," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "We knew they were going to come with pressure, we felt like we should attack that pressure."

The Longhorns played without injured starting forward Brad Buckman (calf) and were hobbled further when point guard Daniel Gibson left nine minutes into the first half with a concussion. When he will return is uncertain.

"We always talk about having all the pieces of the puzzle," Tucker said. "But when two of your top guys go out, we've got to have people ready to come in."

Texas hit just two baskets in the first seven minutes and the home crowd booed when Aldridge turned the ball over on an inbounds pass. Tennessee kept putting on the pressure with JaJuan Smith hitting consecutive 3-pointers from deep on the right wing that made it 18-5.

Texas was just as bewildered coming out of the locker room as it was going in. Turnovers by A.J. Abrams and Mike Williams on the first two possessions led to easy layups by Tennessee's Watson.

"We got enough backdoor looks to deflate Texas' defense," Pearl said.

"I keep harping on turnovers," Barnes said. "They forced some of those, some they didn't."

Tennessee kept stretching the lead. Lofton hit a 3-pointer from the right corner and then another when the Volunteers missed three shots under the basket before the ball was tipped out to Lofton, who was all alone on the wing.

Watson then exploited another hole in the Texas defense, blowing past three Longhorns in the lane for another layup that made it 64-39.

"They were overplaying us for the 3, we kept running this play, I can't give you the name of it, but it worked," Lofton said.

The loss frustrated Tucker, who said the Longhorns haven't played with the same intensity he sees in practice.

"We just aren't playing as ourselves," Tucker said. "I know what we're capable of. We've got to come out and do it every night. We can't just do it in practice."

Barnes said he wasn't too worried about a team that has given up 97 and 95 points in its last two games. But there's plenty he'll need to fix. The Longhorns have committed 38 turnovers in the last two games and Duke and Tennessee both shot 50 percent or better.

The Longhorns play at home against Texas State and Prairie View A&M before going back on the road Jan. 2 at No. 5 Memphis. Then comes the start of Big 12 play.

"I still think we should be a good basketball team," Barnes said.

 

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