Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Late Night Snacks: Making the most of a light slate

Rico Gathers, Demarcus Holland, Sheldon McClellan

Baylor’s Rico Gathers, center, leaps past Texas’ Demarcus Holland (2) and Sheldon McClellan (1) for a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2013, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

AP

Only 10 total games tonight, but a decent amount on the line with the games that were played. Two teams took hits in their quest for an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, while others had players continue to develop. It’s Late Night Snacks.

Game of the Night

Texas 79, Baylor 70 - If there’s a game where we can all look back and say “that’s the day Baylor’s at-large hopes died” it’d be Monday night against Texas. The Longhorns were carried by three players and the Bears couldn’t stop them. At 13 losses and losing eight of their last 11, Baylor will need a miracle run in the Big 12 Tournament to make the Field of 68.

Games of Note

No. 8 Louisville 67, Cincinnati 51 - The Bearcats could’ve really boosted their tournament resume with a road win at the Cardinals. Instead, Louisville forced them into 21 turnovers, three more turnovers than buckets, actually, and the Cardinals won their sixth straight since the five overtime loss at Notre Dame. Russ Smith scored 18 points in the win.

No. 4 Kansas 79, Texas Tech 42 - The game wasn’t really of significance. It was a blowout win that the Jayhawks rightfully earned. But Jeff Withey had 22 points and nine rebounds and Elijah Johnson finished with a season-high 12 assists. This team is rounding into a lock for a one seed.

Norfolk State 69, Florida A&M 58 - On a national spectrum, the game wasn’t a big deal. But the win put the Spartans at 15-0 in the MEAC, with a game against North Carolina A&T standing in the way of a perfect conference season. They haven’t lost since a Jan. 2 defeat at Ball State.

Starred

Sheldon McClellan, Texas - He just seems more relaxed with Myck Kabongo back. McClellan finished with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting in the win over Baylor.

Elijah Johnson, Kansas - Every game since the Iowa State contest, Johnson has just gotten better. On Monday night, it was a 12-assist effort in the rout of Texas Tech on Senior Night.

Damon Heuir, Southern Utah - In a loss to 89-76 Montana, Heuir finished with 29 points for the Thunderbirds. He was 10-for-20 from the field and 4-of-8 from three. He added six rebounds and four assists.

Struggled

Brady Heslip, Baylor - He averages 8.9 points per game and finished 0-for-3 from the field, all three’s, and just two points at the foul line. He was just one of many Bears who had a bad night.

Stuffing the Stat Sheet

Savannah State’s rebounding prowess - Jyles Smith and Arnold Louis both had 11 rebounds apiece in the Tigers’ 59-57 loss at North Carolina A&T, while teammate Rashad Hassan finished with nine. Only one other teammate finished with more than one rebound.

Follow David Harten on Twitter at @David_Harten