Texas, Texas A&M and The Quiet End to a Hoops Rivalry
In the final regular season meeting scheduled between the two rivals, Texas held off Texas A&M 70-68 in College Station.
J’Covan Brown notched 20 points and 7 assists to lead the Longhorns in a sweep of the Aggies in their Big 12 swan song.
Football rabid states rarely check in on the hardwood unless the alma mater is highly ranked. The State of Texas is no different and there was as much apathy for the last hoops matchup as there was maniacal desperation for the Thanksgiving gridiron game.
For the sake of bragging rights, both Texas and Texas A&M wanted this win because there’s nothing on future schedules (outside of a Big 12 Tourney slot) to guarantee they’ll play again.
Rick Barnes reiterated last night during the post-game that Texas won’t pursue a non-conference game with the Aggies as they depart for the Southeastern Conference.
Texas Tech mentioned the same but appears open to scheduling Texas A&M in all sports and if not, then none.
So as the Big 12 conference slate winds down, Texas A&M is saying goodbye to a state full of natural rivals in a sport that many may not miss.
At Texas, Rick Barnes experienced success early and often in his Longhorn tenure. But recent seasons, though NCAA Tournament appearances allow him leniency, are mostly dotted with first or second round exits.
Couple that with missing games due to Longhorn Network complications and you’re left with a shoulder shrug when asked what fans think of the Texas hoops squad.
At Texas A&M, Mark Turgeon’s flight to Maryland gave way to Billy Kennedy and the bump in interest that always accompanies new head coaches. But his early-onset Parkinson’s diagnosis leaves the Aggies in a precarious spot, much like the Tennessee women’s basketball program.
Is he healthy? How do we know? For how long?
The Aggies struggled in conference play early, rebounded recently only to drop the matchup with Texas and allow fan intrigue to shift from basketball to the looming baseball season.
Onto the next sport until spring football practice starts.
Supporters in burnt orange and maroon may miss the annual Thanksgiving tilt down the road, once pride and egos fade.
But will anyone, save the minority of basketball diehards from each campus, long for Texas and Texas A&M to go after one more jump ball?
The travails of living in a state famous for Friday Night Lights shortchanges the massive improvements both basketball programs made over the last decade.
And as strong as the Big 12 conference has been, that’s an underrated feather in the cap of athletic directors DeLoss Dodds and Bill Byrne.
Had these teams both sported 20 wins and top 15 rankings, there might have been some hardwood nostalgia for the end of the rivalry.
Instead, the whistle blew and the players left the court.
Shoulders shrugged.
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