Cincinnati Bearcats 65, Texas Longhorns 59: Post-Mortem

I fully expect to lose J’Covan and Kabongo. It seems almost foolhardy to expect a different outcome, sadly. No clue how to feel about the Ridley situation.

Next year could end up being pretty similar to this one. It’s hard not to start looking at your watch after awhile.

I expected the loss and I predicted it to go down the way it did, but I’m still disappointed. Particularly watching the Bonnies and Seminoles right now. Pretty impressive to make it into the NCAAs with this bunch, but stealing a Sweet 16 would have been good for morale.

- Tips near the basket make sense when you’re surrounded by trees or you’re out of position. When you’re surrounded by smalls and you’re in dominant position, grab the ball, and go back up strong. You will get fouled or you will convert.

- Sheldon has a ton of potential and hit some big shots, but he killed us on both ends over the last 1:30.

- Big props to Julien Lewis and Clint Chapman, who met the challenge of the game from the opening tip.

- Kabongo was AWOL. He had some stretches of inspired defense, but his offensive game was catastrophic. For large stretches, we were better with him off the court or standing and watching JCB.

- JCB’s teammates don’t see the game as he does. Mostly, that’s on them.

honestly, the game couldn’t have scripted any better to finish up this season. and quite frankly, credit to Barnes for getting this team this far. I’m not sure that most coaches even get this team to the tourney.

considered in a vacuum, I don’t think there’s too much to be disappointed about with this team. we basically had one decent player we knew we could count on — who at times has displayed a certain lack of trustworthiness. we had almost nothing in the frontcourt and unproven high-to-mid tier talent in the backcourt.

all this said, it seems like we could’ve done more. a different game ends in the same way. so difficult to watch. in fact, for me I think this team ranks only behind “team #1 implosion” in terms of overall frustratedness.

to respond to some of the ideas noted above:

JCB: I think he’s gone. bummer, I feel like had a more intuitive feel for the game than anybody else under Barnes at Texas, sans TJ and KD. he’s basically in his 4th year and, as has been previously noted before on this site, he’s probably maxed out his NBA draft potential. I had to leave UT early becuase I had a kid and I wouldn’t blame JCB if he did the same.

Kabongo: I think there’s a good chance he’s back. first, he’s not approached his ceiling. we all know he’s got plenty of improving to do. and it’s not like Avery Bradley where you have to really spend some time imagining what an improved game would look like. it’s been on display intermittently throughout the year. he just needs to be more consistent. would hope that the situations of both Bradley and Joseph might actually keep him around as I’d love to see him take his steps forward on campus.

next year: so if we get Myck back and Ridley shows up, I think we’ve got a chance to be really good next year. with the possible exception of Gibbs, I think there’s a good chance that each of our Freshmen from this year will turn into a very solid player. and maybe Gibbs eventually gets there.

Barnes: completely agree with the comments that he’s been the victim of his own success. we were nothing before him and we’re something now. he’s never had a bad year here, which is more than Mack Brown can say. that said, it’s clear that all Longhorn basketball fans — both the real and fair-weather — thirst for more. I’m hoping the the perceived paradigm shift in recruiting strategy ultimately results in higher achievments in the post-season.

This season was more than I expected.

As for next year, it’s like looking at the last two days of a 10 day forecast. There are so many variables, it’s senseless to worry about.

I like Barnes. Before him, there were no T.J. Ford’s or Kevin Durant’s showing up in Austin so he’s earned a couple of years like this. He’s not perfect . . .but Memphis fans used to grouse about John Calipari’s imperfections. Now they’re made at him because he left.

in the tourney under Barnes since 1998? Just thinking off-hand, there was… um… well, there was…. wait, I think we upset someone in TJ Ford’s freshman year. Mississippi St maybe? 10 years ago. Besides that I’ve got nothing.

as his next assistant coach. Someone to focus solely on offensive strategy, designing plays, etc. And I don’t know what the deal is with Lanier, I know he was a good assistant for us 10 years ago, but this season he always had this scowl on his face that made me think ‘who the f is this guy and what is his problem?’

“This team, even w/out J’Covan and Myck is full of potential Unfortunately I don’t think we’ve got the guy in place to maximize it. Which is upsetting on multiply levels, but in particular it’s upsetting because I really, really like Rick Barnes as a person. But just watching the Texas sideline this year it’s clear that the players aren’t having fun and frankly it doesn’t appear that any of the coaches are either. There seems to be little conviction in the team’s belief that what they’re doing is going to be successful. I can’t help but think maybe some changes would do all parties a world of good.”

by flamingmonkeyass on Mar 16, 2026 4:04 PM CDT

Not just this year but the last three years or more you could have said the same thing about players not having fun (and this sentiment was stated on this site and others).

I’m personally very tired of the Barnes apologists, and I’m very dissatisfied overall with the major sports (men’s and women’s) athletic programs overall over the last 5 or so years. Have we sacrificed accomplishment for the sake of money, prestige, and future conference and media positioning? Is there any accountability in the program in terms of wins and losses? Look at the major sports (men’s and women’s) and tell me I’m wrong. Having Boardwalk and Park Place doesn’t mean shit if you don’t win the game. Longhorn Inc. isn’t producing results, and in the corporate world that’s how you keep score. Time to put Barnes, and Gail G on a 12 month probationary period. If they don’t produce then bring in someone else… If you don’t like it tough shit.

I’m not sure.

I do know that he has put the program in position to compete for a national championship. I agree with Scipio: In some ways he is a victim of his own success, but that’s they way the business works, and its his job to meet the raised expectation.

I also happen to believe that he has earned a shot at doing so, and this year’s recruiting class is an encouraging sign since it is full of talented “full-term” players. If he gets Ridley to sign then the next couple of years will tell the tale.

My perspective on making a decision on a coaching change is this:

1) Make a realistic decision about both the absolute ceiling and the level of consistent performance that your program should be able to achieve. Factor in the program’s financial resources, facilities, location, fan support, prestige, hot undergrad ass, and accessible recruiting base.

2) You obviously hired the coach you have now because you liked his (real or perceived) strengths. If he’s been around for a while, it’s time to start talking about his weaknesses. Has he displayed SYSTEMIC weaknesses, expressed over multiple seasons, that he is unwilling or unable to remedy (or acknowledge) that make it more likely than not that the program will fail to achieve your required performance level GOING FORWARD?

3) Considering the realistic pool of replacement candidates, are there several candidates who bring a net set of PERSONAL strengths and deficiencies (which will be relevant to their potential in YOUR program, as opposed to their PRIOR PROGRAM accomplishments, which will have ZERO relevance to YOUR program outside of 2-3 lines in the media guide) that make them more likely to help your program to its required performance level than your guy?

4) Consider the risk tolerance of you (say, as an AD) and your key constituencies (read:major donors who care passionately about your program), as well as the question of whether making a change now would be broadly viewed as so heavy-handed/unfair to your current guy as to make your job less attractive to your desired candidates.

My answers relative to Texas basketball would be as follows:

1) Our ceiling should be high - we are the premier athletic program in an increasingly talent-rich state that has enjoyed sustained name-brand relevance and are repped hard by one of the top 2 players in the NBA. My standards are simple. I award one point for a regular season conference title, one point for a conference tourney title, one point for a first round tourney win, 2 points for making the Sweet 16, four points for the Elite 8, six for the Final 4, and either 8 for losing or 10 for winning the title game. For Texas, any four-year stretch with less than 6 points or five-year stretch with less than 9 points and your job is up for review, and there had better be a strong case for positive trajectory over the next 2 seasons based on recruiting, retention and the ability to run a set play at the competence level of, say, Duncanville High School.

2) For Barnes, I fear that his deficiencies imperil my performance standard going forward. An X and O coaching deficiency with respect to offensive execution, set plays and late-game situations is largely beyond debate in year 14 of his tenure (sans lottery PG). Disturbing questions about his ability to balance a roster in the one and done era and ability to coach with an overall relatable style that doesn’t grind his team down have raised themselves over the last five years as well.

3) When the question is framed in terms of the personal strengths of realistic replacement candidates rather than an approach of ‘who has done more than Barnes over the last 14 years’, I believe we can find candidates who can meet my performance standard with relative ease. I would claim zero ability to successfully LEAD this search with any tactics more sophisticated than ‘throw money at Brad Stevens,’ but I feel very confident that smart and engaged basketball folks could put together an attractive list - one which would not rack up an outright dire record of tourney performance relative to seeding.

4) My own risk tolerance is high, as I believe Texas’ advantages (which are much more plentiful than they were in 1997) provide us with a high programmatic floor outside of an outright botched hire. I would imagine DeLoss’ risk tolerance is fairly low. If we have any major boosters with any expectations for, or input into, the basketball program then I am
unaware of them.

I’m willing to start the clock from last season, and give Barnes two years to score five points. Can he do it?

Barnes has two wins over top 4 seeds in his 14 years here. And one win over a team with a seed higher than his in, again, 14 years.

I’ve always been a Barnes guy, but wow.