http://www.chron.com/sports/longhorns/article/On-emotional-day-UT-downs-No-16-TCU-in-double-12489549.php
On emotional day, UT downs No. 16 TCU in double overtime
Updated 12:33 am, Thursday, January 11, 2018
Texas guard Eric Davis Jr. (10) and forward Dylan Osetkowski (21) hold the jersey of teammate Andrew Jones (1) during the school song following an NCAA college basketball game against TCU, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. The team debuted the "AJ1" logo on their jerseys to honor guard Jones, who has been diagnosed with leukemia. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTexas guard Eric Davis Jr. (10) and forward Dylan Osetkowski (21) hold the jersey of teammate Andrew Jones (1) during the school song following an NCAA college basketball game against TCU, Wednesday, Jan. 10,
... moreTexas forward Royce Hamm Jr. (5) shows his "AJ1" logo as he celebrates with teammates following an NCAA college basketball game against TCU, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. The team debuted the logo Wednesday to honor guard Andrew Jones, who has been diagnosed with leukemia. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTexas forward Royce Hamm Jr. (5) shows his "AJ1" logo as he celebrates with teammates following an NCAA college basketball game against TCU, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. The team debuted the logo
... moreTCU guard Jaylen Fisher (0) and forward Vladimir Brodziansky (10) walk off the court after the team's 99-98 loss to Texas in double overtime in an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTCU guard Jaylen Fisher (0) and forward Vladimir Brodziansky (10) walk off the court after the team's 99-98 loss to Texas in double overtime in an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in
... moreTexas guard Matt Coleman (2) grabs a loose ball as teammate Dylan Osetkowski (21) and TCU guard Kenrich Williams (34) fall to the court during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTexas guard Matt Coleman (2) grabs a loose ball as teammate Dylan Osetkowski (21) and TCU guard Kenrich Williams (34) fall to the court during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan.
... moreTexas guard Matt Coleman (2) celebrates a score against TCU during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas guard Matt Coleman (2) celebrates a score against TCU during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas' Eric Davis Jr. (10), Matt Coleman (2) and Dylan Osetkowski (21) celebrate during an NCAA college basketball game against TCU on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTexas' Eric Davis Jr. (10), Matt Coleman (2) and Dylan Osetkowski (21) celebrate during an NCAA college basketball game against TCU on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime,
... moreTCU guard Jaylen Fisher (0) and Texas forward Dylan Osetkowski (21) chase a loose ball during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTCU guard Jaylen Fisher (0) and Texas forward Dylan Osetkowski (21) chase a loose ball during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in
... moreTexas forward Mohamed Bamba (4) celebrates during team's win over TCU in an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas forward Mohamed Bamba (4) celebrates during team's win over TCU in an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
TCU coach Jamie Dixon signals to his players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTCU coach Jamie Dixon signals to his players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP
... moreTCU forward Kouat Noi (12) and guard Jaylen Fisher, center, fall to the court at the end of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Texas on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTCU forward Kouat Noi (12) and guard Jaylen Fisher, center, fall to the court at the end of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Texas on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in
... moreTexas guard Matt Coleman (2) drives past TCU forward Vladimir Brodziansky (10) during overtime in an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTexas guard Matt Coleman (2) drives past TCU forward Vladimir Brodziansky (10) during overtime in an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime,
... moreTexas guard Matt Coleman (2) shoots over TCU forward Vladimir Brodziansky (10) during overtime in an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTexas guard Matt Coleman (2) shoots over TCU forward Vladimir Brodziansky (10) during overtime in an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98.
... moreTexas forward Jericho Sims, center, grabs a rebound between TCU defenders Vladimir Brodziansky (10) and Kenrich Williams (34) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Texas won in double overtime, 99-98. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
lessTexas forward Jericho Sims, center, grabs a rebound between TCU defenders Vladimir Brodziansky (10) and Kenrich Williams (34) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018,
... moreAUSTIN – Texas' reconstructed starting lineup sat together, arms linked, prior to pregame introductions at the Erwin Center. There, between Mo Bamba and Dylan Osetkowski, was a conspicuous break in the chain, though the void was intentional. And meaningful.
Draped over that vacant seat was the No. 1 jersey of sophomore Andrew Jones. Word of his leukemia diagnosis spread quickly Wednesday, casting a pall over both the promising guard and the program. But as the tragic news trickled out, everyone from Governor Greg Abbott to University of Texas President Greg Fenves to former Longhorns star T.J. Ford rallied around the 20-year-old.
His Texas (11-5, 2-2 Big 12) teammates did the same against 16th-ranked TCU (13-3, 1-3), claiming a 99-98 victory in jerseys embroidered with a temporary "AJ1" patch.
"Speaking for our entire team and staff, we love Andrew and will do everything we can to support his family and help him get back to health," coach Shaka Smart said earlier Wednesday. "I want to thank everyone for being respectful of the privacy that the Jones family needs at this time."
The energy inside the arena felt distinctive even before tip-off. Peppered throughout the stands were signs and shirts and various other homages to Jones. It was a crowd waiting, hoping, on some sort of hopeful sign from the universe, foolish as that might sound.
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What it got was a defiant, powerful performance in the face of overwhelming emotional adversity.
With both Jones and Kerwin Roach (left hand) out, coach Shaka Smart opted to go big, moving 6-foot-9 freshman Jericho Sims into the starting lineup alongside 6-9 Osetkowski and 6-11 Bamba. Coming off a career-high 18-point performance at Baylor, guard Jase Febres made his second straight start next to Matt Coleman.
The lineup immediately proved too much for TCU's spastic defense to handle.
Coleman looked like he had mentally aged five years as a point guard. He controlled the game's tempo from the jump, picking and choosing spots perfectly. And he formed a fantastic rapport with fellow freshman Sims, who had scored only three points in 34 minutes over his previous four contests.
During one first-half stretch, Coleman assisted Sims on three straight buckets, including two alley-oops. Coleman recorded his first double-double with 17 points and a career-high 12 assists, while Sims had a career scoring night with 14 points.
With Bamba sidelined by foul troubled, UT closed the half on a 13-5 run, a five-minute period boosted by the newfound Coleman-to-Sims special.
Inevitably, UT's offense cooled after hitting 63 percent of its shots in the first half. The return of guard Jaylen Fisher, who played just two minutes in the first half after picking up a pair of fouls, boosted TCU's attack as Bamba was muzzled by the officials, picking up his fourth foul with about 10 minutes to go.
The Horned Frogs took their first lead of the game on a Kenrich Williams 3-pointer with 6:21 remaining following an extended Longhorns drought that featured six straight missed shots.
It then became a tit-for-tat battle of willpower down the stretch.
With the shot clock winding down in regulation, Coleman drove and kicked out to Eric Davis, who frantically launched a 3-pointer from the corner. The ball floated high and dropped through the net, granting UT a 77-73 lead with 67 seconds remaining. TCU responded with four quick points, including a game-tying layup with Vlad Brodziansky.
Bamba soared to block Alex Robinson's layup attempt on TCU's penultimate possession of overtime, setting up UT's final play. Davis drove, lost his footing, and flicked to an open Osetkowski in the corner. He drilled the 3-pointer – his only outside make of the game – only to see Brodziansky force another overtime with a buzzer-beating jumper.
With 5.3 seconds left, Sims, one of UT's worst free-throw shooters, stood at the line to win the game. He hit one. Fisher miraculously missed an open layup at the rim, and the Longhorns escaped with a win to cap an emotionally exhausting day.
