In 2005, Facebook was just for college kids, Vince Young was leading Texas to a national championship and every food trailer in town was parked at a construction site.
That was also the last year the Oklahoma Sooners basketball team beat Texas in Austin. But the nine-year skid ended Saturday night at the Erwin Center with OU beating a young and reckless, but also spirited and intense, Texas team 88-85. Oklahoma hit 13 three-point field goals and got a lot of garbage rebounds in the stretch to drop the Greenhorns to 11-3. OU is now 12-2.
Led by Javan Felix’s career-high 28 points, the Horns played tired at the end, missing four straight free throws when leading 76-75. Horns freshman bomber Damarcus Croaker had stroked in 5-7 from beyond the arc, but missed a three with two seconds left that would’ve tied the game. And he heard about it from Coach Rick Barnes, whose harsh, disciplinarian ways split last year’s team on the way to a dreadful 16-18 record.
On a night when everyone was confirming Charlie Strong as Mack Brown’s replacement, another big story was coming out of the 40 Acres: We have a basketball team!
On a night when even the Austin American-Statesman sports staff — descendants of the last caveman to accept fire — was confirming Louisville football coach Charlie Strong as Mack Brown’s replacement, another big story was coming out of the 40 Acres: We have a basketball team! One that comes to play every game, every half, every time, up and down the floor. This is big news after last season’s dreadful outfit, who rebelled against Coach Barnes’ constant negativity by doing things their way and ended up with a first round exit from a tourney that looks up to the NIT.
Last year’s top three scorers are gone, and, still, the young follow-up squad is better, though they didn’t play particularly well Saturday — especially with their most consistent player, junior forward Jonathan Holmes, sitting out almost all the first half after picking up two quick fouls.
Holmes’ return in the second half included an old-fashioned three-point play and a dunk in consecutive possessions to put Texas, which trailed in double digits for much of the first half, in the lead 49-45. Texas seemed to have the game under control with its pressing defense, but Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield kept bagging threes, while the Horns seemed scattered on offense.
Sophomore center Cameron Ridley, who had that first-day-of-kindergarten look last year, is starting to show why he was the No. 8 rated player out of high school, but he had a subpar game against OU. Getting the ball into Cam the Jam is key to freeing up shooters with an in-and-out game, but Ridley’s hands were unsure, and the ball was often slapped away. He did score 15 points, throwing down a vicious dunk and converting the attendant free throw to put Texas ahead 74-71 with about five minutes to play. But Ridley was a little slow to react to Sooner clankers, and OU got 17 offensive boards.
Fearless freshman point guard Isaiah Taylor, this year’s most pleasant surprise, also played below his standard at this Big 12 opener, scoring just two points. Whatever Barnes saw early on, he didn’t like and “Big Push” spent most of the game on the bench.
It was a game they should’ve won, but Texas starts off conference play 0-1, with a trip to tough Oklahoma State on Wednesday. Still, after beating a 14th-ranked North Carolina in Chapel Hill last month, this group of Horns is one you can’t count out. As long as Holmes and Felix stay healthy, Ridley and Taylor continue to improve and Croakley keeps working on his A.J. Abrams impression, this looks like a team that’ll win 23 or 24 games and make the Big Dance. That used to be a given in Barnes’ first 15 seasons at Texas, but let Charlie Strong be a reminder of how fast fortunes can change at the world’s richest sports college.
Javan Felix
One of the weekend's major talking points was the addition of the new Paddock Hospitality track at the top of Turn 1. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Although he is not in contention for a repeat championship, Lando Norris remains a crowd favorite. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Kimi Antonelli led from the start, never losing placement as he claimed his ninth win of the season. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
It was hard to get a moment with Paddock star the Ferrari Pope, who posed for pictures all weekend. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Kimi Antonelli greeted the Grandstand before boarding the trailer ahead of the Driver's Parade on Sunday. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Lily Zneimer stopped for a quick portrait before heading into the McLaren garage to support her boyfriend, driver Oscar Piastri.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Michael Dell made their way to the McLaren garage just before the qualifying round on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
It takes a well-oiled machine of a team to win races. No drama, just fist bumps and good communication. Oh, and a fast car.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
COTA's new attraction is the theme park, aptly named COTALand. Clearly, the jury remains out on the spectacle. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
It's not uncommon to see fans lined up outside of the Paddock as they wait for their favorite drivers and teams to head out for the day. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Last year's US Grand Prix winner, Max Verstappen, finished third this year after starting second on the grid. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Alpine's pit crew got their warm-ups done shortly before race start on Sunday. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
"All we talk about are tires and batteries in this sport. (They're the) stars of the show," said Nic Cameron of Leeds, New York. Mercedes engineers stacked used tires from the qualifying session to send off for analysis.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Interior designer and Miss Jamaica Universe 1994 Angelie Spencer was on site to support her favorite team, Ferrari. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Having Cadillac driver and fan favorite Checo Perez back on the grid has been great for the US Grand Prix, as thousands of Mexicans come to Austin to watch their countryman race. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
It's no surprise who fashion influencer Aimee Kelly supports.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Although Antonelli took home the winner’s trophy, he did not clinch the driver’s championship as some had hoped. He needed teammate George Russell to fall to 9th and ex-Mercedes world champion Lewis Hamilton to finish in 5th. Photo by Daniel Cavazos
The Mercedes garage was full of adrenaline as they waited for Antonelli to arrive at parc fermé and take the traditional plunge into the hands of his crew.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
The championship is all but Antonelli’s, with one hand firmly on the grip of the trophy. He is expected to complete his first-ever world championship this weekend in Mexico.Photo by Daniel Cavazos