College basketball report Week 14

The Baylor Bears keep rolling as the LSU Tigers experience their first loss in nearly two months

The Baylor Bears keep rolling as the LSU Tigers experience their first loss in nearly two months
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TEXAS LONGHORNS (14-10), (4-6)

Last week: (0-2): L - Texas Tech 62-57, L - Baylor 52-45

This week: Saturdayvs. Iowa State

Before becoming Baylor's latest victim, the Texas Longhorns dropped a winnable game on Saturday in a 62-57 loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Overall, it was a tale of two halves for the Longhorns as the Red Raiders trailed by as many as 16 points during the first half. After a nearly perfect half, UT allowed the Red Raiders to outscored them 43-26 in the second period, as Texas Tech shot 54.5% from the field, 42.8% from behind the arc.

Up next, the Longhorns will look to end their two-game skid on Saturday in a road game against the Iowa State Cyclones.

TEXAS A&M AGGIES (11-11), (5-5)

Last week: (1-1): W - Missouri 68-51, L - South Carolina 74-54

This week: Wednesdayvs. Florida, Saturday vs. Georgia

The roller-coaster season continued for the Texas A&M Aggies. They started the week taking a 68-51 victory over Missouri, in a game in which four players scored in double-figure with Josh Nebo led the way with 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the win. It was a night the Tigers struggled offensively with Xavier Pinson leading the way with nine points.

Following the win, the Aggies suffered one of their worst defeats in conference play in a 20-point loss at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Up next, the Aggies will return to the court on Wednesday to take on the Florida Gators.

Houston Cougars (19-5), (9-2)

Last week: (2-0): W - Tulane 75-62, W - Wichita State 76-43

This week: Wednesdayvs. USF, Saturday vs. SMU

After a disappointing loss to Cincinnati which ended their five-game win streak, the Houston Cougars bounced back with back-to-back wins against the Tulane Green Waves and Wichita State Shockers.

As they look to stay atop the American Athletic Conference, the Cougars will hit the road for a showdown against the South Florida Bulls on Wednesday before taking on the SMU Mustangs on Saturday in Dallas.

RICE OWLS (12-13), (4-8)

Last week: (2-0): W- UAB 86-72, W - Middle Tennessee 91-83

This week: Thursdayvs. Old Dominion, Saturday vs. Charlotte 49ers

Currently, in the midst of riding their longest winning streak of conference play, the Rice Owl extended their win streak to three picking up victories against UAB and Middle Tennessee.

In a win against the Blue Raiders, the Owls went 12-of-12 from the free-throw line in the closing minutes as Rice held off Middle Tennessee, 91-83. In addition to picking up their fourth win of conference play, Rice earned its first-ever win in Murfreesboro, Saturday inside the Murphy Center.

Up next, the Owls will return home to take on Old Dominion in Houston.

BAYLOR BEAR (21-1), (10-0)

Last week: (2-0): W - Oklahoma State 78-70, W - Texas 52-45

This week: Saturday vs. West Virginia

The Baylor Bears survived a hard-fought battle against Oklahoma State on Saturday, as the ball club came away with an eight-point victory. As one of five players to score in double-figures, sophomore guard MaCio Teague recorded four made 3-point field goals to score 24 points and seven rebounds to lead the way for the Bears.

As the nation's top-ranked school, Baylor will put their 21 game winning streak on the line on Saturday, in a home Big-12 showdown against West Virginia inside the Ferrell Center in Waco.

TCU Horned Frogs (13-11), (4-6)

Last week: (0-3): L - Oklahoma State 72-57, L - Kansas 60-46, L - Texas Tech 88-42

This week: Saturday vs. Kansas State

By far their worst week of the season, the TCU Horned Frogs lost by an average margin of 25 points with their worst coming in an 88-42 loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. In an attempt to end their six-game losing streak, the Horned Frogs will return to the court on Saturday to take Kansas State inside the Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (16-8), (7-4)

Last week: (3-0): W - Oklahoma 69-61, W - Texas 62-57, W - TCU 88-42

This week: Saturday vs. Oklahoma State

Before handing the TCU Horned Frogs a 46 point defeat, the Texas Tech Red Raiders won two close back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Texas this past week.

Their best win came in a 62-57 victory over the Longhorns, in a game in which the Red Raiders fought back from 16 points down to take the dub. Freshman guard Jahmi'us Ramsey led the way with 18 points (6-7 FG, 2-2) and two steals in the win.

Following a near-perfect week, Texas Tech will look to make it four straight wins in a road game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday.

SMU MUSTANGS (16-6), (6-4)

Last week: (1-0): L - Temple 97-90

This week: Wednesday vs. Connecticut, Saturday vs. Houston

With one game on the schedule, the SMU Mustangs dropped a heartbreak loss to the Temple Owls on Saturday.
After leading 48-31 at the half, the Mustangs had no answer for the Owls in the second half and overtime, as Temple outscored SMU 66-42 to take the comeback victory. Temple's Quinton Ross scored a game-high 25 points, as the senior guard registered 10 during the extra period.

Up next, the Mustangs will take on Connecticut on Wednesday before going to war in an in-state battle against Houston on Saturday.

LSU TIGERS (17-6), (8-2)

Last week: (0-2): L - Vanderbilt 99-90, L - Auburn 91-90

This week: Tuesday vs. Missouri, Saturday vs. Alabama

The LSU Tigers' 10 game winning streak came to an end on Wednesday after dropping a nine-point defeat to the Vanderbilt Commodores. While Trendon Watford led the way with 26 points (8-13, 9-10 FT), the freshman forward from Birmingham would be outplayed by Vanderbilt's Saben Lee, who recorded 33 points (13-20 FG), six assists, and four rebounds in the win.

After an overtime loss to Alabama, the Tigers will look to keep their place atop of the SEC in a home match against the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday.

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There are a lot of positives to discuss. Be sure to watch the video below! Composite Getty Image.

While Caleb Williams, C.J. Stroud and other starters from both teams watched from the sideline, the NFL’s new kickoffs didn’t provide any excitement.

Brett Rypien stole the show before lighting and heavy rain ended the game early.

The veteran quarterback threw three touchdown passes, leading the Chicago Bears to a 21-17 victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame game.

The NFL’s exhibition opener was stopped with 3:31 left in the third quarter and was called off after a 36-minute delay.

All eyes were on the NFL’s radical new kickoffs rule at the start. The league dramatically redesigned the play, aiming to revive it after a record-low returns last season.

None of the eight kickoffs were returned beyond the 32. Three were brought back to the 26, a yard farther than the old touchback. There was one touchback that came out to the 30.

“You never know until you come in the game and play,” said Bears wide receiver Collin Johnson, who made a tackle on the opening kickoff. “The speed and timing is drastically different. It’s so much faster.”

Tyson Bagent started for Williams, the No. 1 overall pick who has enormous expectations in Chicago. Davis Mills was under center instead of Stroud, the 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Rypien finished 11 of 15 for 166 yards with TD passes of 20 and 9 yards to Johnson and 22 yards to Tommy Sweeney. Rypien, who was 2-2 as a starter in four seasons with the Broncos and Rams, entered camp as the third-string QB.

“This one meant a lot to me,” Rypien said. “I had a bad taste in my mouth all offseason after my last start in Green Bay (last Nov. 5). I didn’t know how this season would go, didn’t know if I’d get a chance to compete for anything.”

Mills, who was 5-19-1 as a starter in the two seasons before Stroud’s arrival, finished 10 of 13 for 102 yards and a 9-yard TD pass to Teagan Quitoriano to cap the opening drive.

Veteran Case Keenum threw a 4-yard TD pass to Cam Akers to give the Texans a 17-7 lead late in the second half.

Rypien led the Bears on a 72-yard drive in just 58 seconds in the final minutes of the first half. His TD pass to Sweeney cut it to 17-14. He put the Bears ahead with the 9-yard strike to Johnson in the third.

“As a backup, you have to be ready at any moment,” Rypien said. “You never know when that opportunity is going to come. You have to go in and execute when you haven’t had that many reps.”

Houston’s Steven Sims fielded Cairo Santos’ opening kickoff at the 5 and ran 21 yards before he was tackled at the 26. After the Texans scored, Chicago’s Tyler Scott caught Ka’imi Fairbairn’s kickoff at the 7 and returned it 19 yards to the 26.

Touchbacks used to result in the offense starting at the 25.

Scott fielded the third kickoff one yard deep in the end zone and chose to return it instead of taking a touchback. He was tackled at the 20. The Bears were penalized for leaving early — only the two returners and kicker can move until the ball is caught — but the Texans declined.

“I say kickoff teams won,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “Good job by the cover teams. It looked like the return teams struggled staying on blocks.”

The Texans went worst to first in the AFC South last year behind rookie coach DeMeco Ryans, Stroud and Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. Houston finished with 11 wins, advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs.

The Bears are hoping to make a similar leap from 7-10 to the playoffs after selecting Williams first, adding wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth pick and revamping the roster in free agency.

HEALTHY CAM

Akers showed quickness on a 14-yard catch that preceded his TD reception. He also ran for 13 yards on five carries. Akers is attempting to comeback with the Texans after his season ended early last season after he tore his Achilles tendon for the second time in three years.

TYSON’S TIME

Bagent, who went from undrafted rookie out of Division II powerhouse Shepherd University to 2-2 as a starter filling in for Justin Fields last season, only played one series. He completed 2 of 3 passes before Rypien took over.

HALL OF FAME FIRSTS

Many of the Bears and Texans fans in the crowd came to see two of their favorites don the gold jackets on Saturday afternoon.

Devin Hester, the dynamic playmaker who returned a league-record 14 punts for touchdowns and ran back five more kickoffs for scores during an 11-year career spent mostly with Chicago, will be the first pure returner to enter the Hall of Fame.

Andre Johnson, the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, will be the first member of the Texans inducted.

Hester and Johnson received the loudest ovations before the game when the Class of 2024 was introduced.

Popular Bears great Steve McMichael, who can’t attend his induction because he’s in the advanced stages of ALS, was represented by his wife, Misty.

Be sure to watch the video above as we reveal what has us most excited from the Texans' first game of the season.

Catch Texans on Tap (a Houston Texans podcast) right after every game on the SportsMapTexans YouTube channel!

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