Loss to Butler ends UT's season, possibly Barnes' tenure

PITTSBURGH - The ending surprised no one. Whether it was the conclusion to a game or to a maddeningly frustrating season or even to a 17-year coaching reign, the details were well-worn and all too familiar.

Texas, as usual, owned the supposed talent advantage. Its opponent, as usual, proved talent could be overrated. And after the Longhorns showcased their customary offensive ineptitude and their obligatory last-minute mistakes, they were out of the NCAA Tournament before its first weekend was complete - for the seventh consecutive year.

This time, their exit came courtesy of Thursday's ugly 56-48 loss to Butler in the round of 64 at Consol Energy Center. And even though they'd spent the week hoping their yellowed script would change, the Longhorns couldn't muster much shock that it hadn't.

"Pretty much sums up our year, to be quite honest," coach Rick Barnes said.

"Some things we just could never figure out," guard Javan Felix said, either about a rough afternoon or a miserable few months.

After being ranked in the national Top 10 in December, the Longhorns (20-14) barely made it into the NCAA Tournament - its 16th under Barnes - but never came close to delivering on all of their early promise.

Bigger not better

As the 11th seed in the Midwest against the sixth-seeded Bulldogs (23-10), UT failed to capitalize on its overwhelming size advantage, settling for ill-advised jumpers and allowing Butler to get to the basket far too often.

In a painfully sloppy display of basketball reminiscent of several of UT's games this season, the Longhorns shot just 17-of-50 (34 percent) from the field and committed 15 turnovers. The Bulldogs shot even worse (33 percent), but because they took better care of the ball, it didn't matter.

Each team subjected an antsy crowd to a 10-minute stretch without a field goal. But Butler took control when Kellen Dunham, who led all scorers with 20 points, highlighted a quick 11-0 run in the middle of the second half.

Essentially, the Bulldogs lulled UT into their slow pace, then pounced when the Longhorns started snoozing.

"That's what we do," Butler forward Kameron Woods said. "We just fight and grind them out."

Comeback fizzles

Even so, UT made its usual last gasp. Isaiah Taylor scored on three consecutive possessions to cut the deficit to one point with two minutes left. But then he turned the ball over on a double-dribble, UT missed a free throw, and the Longhorns allowed Dunham to come off a screen for a backbreaking 3-pointer.

"We had our chances," Barnes said.

Now the question is whether he'll get another one at UT. Barnes is signed through 2019, but his $2.5 million-per-year contract includes a $1.75 buyout if he's fired this spring. And even though he led the Longhorns to their best stretch of basketball in the program's history during his first decade on the job, discontent among alumni and donors is becoming difficult for athletic director Steve Patterson to ignore.

As Patterson walked out of the arena on Thursday, he declined to answer a question about Barnes' job status. Barnes, meanwhile, said he wants and expects to return next season.

"Yeah, I have no reason not to think that," Barnes said. "I haven't had one conversation (about job status)."

Barnes said he expects to meet with Patterson soon. He expressed optimism that he'll be allowed to coach a team that might return everyone but senior Jonathan Holmes and possibly freshman Myles Turner, who declined to comment about his NBA future.

But if Thursday was the end?

No one will be able to say they didn't see it coming.