AUSTIN — Oklahoma coach Porter Moser and Texas interim coach Rodney Terry first grew to become acquainted of their late 20s, then two formidable rival assistants wrestling over lots of the identical highschool recruits.
Both had transitioned immediately into teaching after enjoying collegiately — Moser at Creighton, Terry at St. Edward’s — and climbed the rungs shortly. In 1996, Terry joined Harry Miller’s employees at Baylor, and Moser moseyed onto Tony Barone’s employees at Texas A&M for the inaugural Big 12 season.
More than a quarter-century later, Moser isn’t stunned Terry has stored No. 8 Texas buzzing alongside within the barbarous Big 12 after the midseason firing of former coach Chris Beard.
Rather than derail, the Longhorns (21-6, 10-4 Big 12) have sped up, rolling into the penultimate week of the common season tied for first and with their sights fastened on a treasured No. 1 seed within the NCAA Tournament. And as Texas hoisted itself out of one other halftime gap to beat the Sooners 85-83 in time beyond regulation on Saturday, Moser couldn’t assist however see Terry’s fingerprints smeared everywhere in the Longhorns.
“Well, I’ve known Rodney since he was an assistant at Baylor and I was an assistant at Texas A&M a long, long time ago,” Moser stated. “And he is at all times had simply such an energy about him. And I feel his group performs with large energy. I believed they did then; I believed they do now. They play with an amazing energy and chip.
“And that’s the way Rodney is. I remember when we were both real young on the recruiting trail, Rodney always had an energy to himself. He’s coaching that way. His team’s playing that way.”
As additional proof backing Moser’s feedback, Terry’s Texan twang was as hoarse because it’s been all season after that 45-minute tug-of-war with the Sooners. That, too, was no shock.
Terry spends video games treading up and down the sideline, hunching over in a “do as I do” defensive posture and barking directions loud sufficient to hold by a cacophony of crowd noise. But that energy, whereas electrical and infectious, isn’t in the least jittery.
By this level, Texas’ capability to kick open the coffin underneath Terry’s steering is well-documented. The Longhorns have accomplished 4 second-half comebacks since convention play started on New Year’s Eve, overcoming deficits of 18, 14, 12 and most just lately seven (in opposition to OU).
It helps to have a solid of steely veterans who hold staring again at disagreeable scoreboards with keen grins. But Terry has been the proper basic for this group, a halftime speech connoisseur and stable strategist who instructions full consideration.
“Oh, he’s the ultimate leader,” graduate guard Sir’Jabari Rice stated of Terry. “He challenges us, and he knows how to get to us in a way that nobody else does. We have so much respect for coach Terry, and we listen to him. We’re doing everything that he asks us to do. When we mess up some things that he drilled us to do, I mean, you’ve just kinda got to accept it, take the coaching, take the challenge. And then what are you gonna do with it? What are you gonna do to change it?”
One of the uncommon situations when Texas didn’t channel its head coach’s vigor got here throughout final month’s go to to Iowa State. Texas shot simply 39 p.c and was outscored by 10 and outrebounded by six within the second half of a 78-67 loss on Jan. 17.
Tuesday’s rematch with the Twenty third-ranked Cyclones (17-9, 8-6) on the Moody Center presents Texas an opportunity to realize some revenge and stay on monitor in its quest for a Big 12 title.
The Cyclones are 2-5 over their final seven video games and simply 2-7 in true street video games. Texas is 15-1 contained in the Moody Center this season, with a 6-1 dwelling report since Terry changed Beard on Dec. 12.
And if the Longhorns occur to stumble into one other pit, they’re assured Terry will likely be there to drag them out.
“Obviously, it’s just been huge,” graduate guard Marcus Carr stated of Terry’s energy and steering. “On the courtroom, off the courtroom. We begin each single day within the morning, and it’s, ‘Good morning. It’s great to be here. We’re all grateful to be alive.’
“And Coach does a good job of before we even start talking about basketball just making sure we understand where we’re at and that we’re all grateful to just be here and be breathing every single day and thankful to have the opportunity of life. Coach definitely puts that energy into us, and I definitely think it spreads throughout the whole team.”
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