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TEXAS LONGHORNS
Hamilton coming up big for Longhorns
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texas guard Jordan Hamilton, left, shoots as Oklahoma forward Ryan Wright, center, and guard Cade Davis, right, defend in the first half of their game in Norman, Okla., The Longhorns lost to the Sooners 80-71.
By Laken Litman Daily Texan — Saturday, Feb. 6
To coach Rick Barnes, getting playing time is simple just ask freshman Jordan Hamilton.
In No. 10 Texas' loss to Baylor last weekend, Hamilton played two minutes on the court, going 0-for-3 in shooting. But in Monday night's 12-point win at Oklahoma State, Hamilton played 19 minutes and led the Longhorns with 27 points, going 11-for-16 on field goals and 5 for 8 from the 3-point line.
"If a guy does his job and misses his shot, I can assure you he's not coming out of the game," Barnes said. "But if I feel like he's not in tune with what we need to be doing as a team, he's gotta come out of the game."
In the Baylor game, Barnes felt that Hamilton didn't understand his role on the court. But something clicked two days later, and Hamilton pulled the Longhorns out of an 11-point deficit up to a victory.
"Jordan took better shots, but he also took some tough shots, and if they didn't go
in, maybe he wouldn't have had the chance to stay out there," Barnes said. "But I think he tried consciously to be more aware of what was going on in the game."
Barnes told Hamilton that his best play of the night was when he drove to the baseline and kicked it out to freshman Avery Bradley for the 3-pointer.
"It's not about making good shots but just making the right play," Barnes said. "You can't think you have to score to stay in a game. That was the best play Jordan made all night."
Bradley is living proof of that mantra. He's missed a lot of opportunities but doesn't let failed attempts affect the rest of his game.
"I tell the guys all the time that they won't make all of their shots and that that's OK," Barnes said. "But I also tell them all the time not to let your offense dictate what kind of impact you can have in a game."
The Longhorns are in the stretch of their season that shows they are human. Barnes explained that every year, teams get in a funk and you just have to hope it doesn't come in March.
IOWA STATE CYCLONES
Iowa State falls short in second half
By Chris Cuellar Iowa State Daily — Sunday, Feb. 7
iowa State's (13-10, 2-6) men's basketball team hosted a rowdy crowd and a top-ten team in Hilton Coliseum for the third time this season on Saturday, and fell for the third time.
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No. 10 Kansas State (19-4, 6-3) overcame a halftime deficit and 30.6-percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes to defeat the Cyclones in a Big 12 conference game, 79-75. The Wildcats opened the second half on a 17-2 run, and the Cyclones weren't able to sniff the lead for the remainder of the game.
"I felt we had a game plan and we were executing it,but there were a couple here and there minutes that we didn't execute them, and I think that was the reason for the result at the end;"forward Craig Brackins said.
Brackins led the Cyclones in scoring for the third consecutive game, tallying 29 points on 11-for-22 shooting, but was outshined by the Wildcats' guard Denis Clemente, who put in 30 points of his own for the winning side. The 6-foot-1 senior from
Puerto Rico hit timely 3-pointers over and over for coach Frank Martin's team, finishing a proficient 6-for-8 from behind the arc.
"He had big shots against us here last year, in a game that was very similar to this one," said coach Greg McDermott. "He's a senior, and that's what you want your seniors to do, step up when the team needs them. He's a load, and every time we made a mistake he made us pay."
The Cyclones yet again missed scoring from their guard positions, with starting backcourts Diante Garrett and Scott Christopherson, and their backups, Dominique Buckley and Chris Colvin combining for just 21 points. McDermott insinuated earlier in the week that he would consider making a change to the lineup with Christopherson's mononucleosis and ineffective play, but after the game McDermott was disappointed with lapses in focus from his under-staffed team.
The Cyclones loss drops them to a spot above last place in the Big 12, and extends their losing streak to Kansas State to eight games.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
iowa State's Chris Colvin, left, and Justin Hamilton defend against Kansas State's Luis Colon during the first half of their game Saturday in Ames, Iowa. The Wildcats defended the Cyclones 79-75.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE WAVE FEBRUARY 10,2010