Tech’s Basketball Season Ends With 65-53 Loss to Longhorns at Big 12 Tournament

Toddrick Gotcher scored 12 points to lead No. 10 seed Texas Tech (13-19), but it was not enough as the seventh-seeded Texas Longhorns prevailed Wednesday in the opening round of the 2015 Phillips 66 Big 12  Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Arena in Kansas City 65-53.

The Longhorns' superior size in the post doomed the Red Raiders.

Isaiah Taylor kept dumping the ball into the post for the Longhorns and 6-foot-9, 285-pound junior Cameron Ridley kept finishing plays.

"They really made an emphasis to get it inside to their big guy," said Tech freshman post player Norense Odiase.

"I thought Isaiah's demeanor was as good as it's been all year in terms of running it for us," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "And I do think Cam is more confident now. Why he hasn't been, I'm not sure how to answer that."

Texas kept pulling away in a game that it desperately needed.

The Red Raiders hung around into the second half, closing within 35-31 when Robert Turner got a floater to go. But the Longhorns rattled off the next nine points to take control, then slowly extended their advantage over the next several minutes to rob the outcome of drama.

"I think we have a good chance to get into the tournament," Taylor said. "But right now, that really can't be the focus. We're looking to win the Big 12 tournament."

Speaking of confidence, the Longhorns (20-12) can feel a whole lot more confident about their NCAA hopes if they can beat No. 2 seed Iowa State in Thursday's quarterfinals. The Cyclones won both meetings with Texas earlier this season.

"The hole we've been trying to dig out of, we just knew we had to win games," Barnes said. "I know everyone is talking about, 'We need to win this game, three in a row, four in a row.' I tell everyone, 'You need to win 'em all ' because you never know."

Turner and Odiase contributed 11 points each to join Gotcher in double digit scoring.

"We needed some more scoring punch," Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith said.

Turner was one of Smith's first recruits at Texas Tech. The transfer from New Mexico Junior College played his final game. "I really learned a lot that I'll take with me as I continue my journey," he said. "It was a great opportunity to play for Coach Smith and his staff."