Texas Basketball: Kent State Upsets the Longhorns, 63-58

Texas lost their final nonconference game to Kent State, further impacting their start to the season.

The last thing Texas could have used on Tuesday night was a loss to Kent State. The Longhorns had stepped into this game at 6-5 and looked for some momentum heading into Big 12 play. Kansas State stood there in the rearview mirror for their upcoming matchup on Friday, December 30. However, things wouldn’t go well for the Burnt Orange at the Frank Erwin Center.

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A recurring trend for Texas has been the poor offensive performance. This continued on Tuesday and led to their demise as they shot just 36.2 percent from the field and 11.1 percent from beyond the arc. They shot just 2 for 18 in the latter stat, which made for a disappointing night. It didn’t help that the Longhorns missed 10 free throws either. Hitting only five more would have gotten them into overtime.

Kent State didn’t exactly dominate either, shooting similar numbers to Texas. They only shot 17.6 percent from three-point range as well, but got enough production from Jaylin Walker’s 24 points and double-doubles from Deon Edwin (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Jimmy Hall (11 points, 11 rebounds). These three players and just two others were the only ones to score for the Golden Flashes, but that proved to be enough to give them the win.

The loss is a disappointing one for Texas, who falls to 6-6 entering Big 12 play. Their schedule will only get tougher from here, so this offense will need to find a way to rise after weeks of struggling.

Three Stars

Jaylin Walker, Kent State – Walker’s 24 points and seven rebounds led the way for the Golden Flashes in their upset win.

Deon Edwin, Kent State – As noted, Edwin put up a double-double in just 29 minutes of play.

Jarrett Allen, Texas – In a night where Texas struggled, Allen had a solid game with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

What’s Next?

On December 30, the Longhorns will face Kansas State in the first Big 12 game of the season.