Here's a pretty major what-if that nobody ever talks about: What if the entire 2006 team didn't all decide to have their worst day ever against an LSU team that we would have beaten 9.5/10? Nobody ever talks about that game, but it's basically the hoops version of the Crabtree game in Lubbock and the NC game vs Bama in terms of just being an absolute gut-punch of a loss. I don't think we could've played any worse if we were trying to lose, and yet the game still went to OT. Let's check the box score:
PJ Tucker, LaMarcus Aldridge, AJ Abrams, Brad Buckman, and Kenton Paulino combined to shoot 15-55 from the field. What the fuck. How is that even possible? Texas had one of the best front courts in the country and was 10th nationally 2P FG, yet somehow went 11-40 from inside the arc. I still remember LA just continuing to shoot one 16-18 FT fade away after another, clanging each one in agonizing succession.
Also, we got beat by two guys. That LSU team was not anything special on the season, nor were they special on that day, save two guys- fucking Tyrus Thomas and Glen "Big Baby" Davis. Ugh. It's one thing if Steph Curry or JJ Redick shoots you out of the tournament, but it's another thing entirely when you get dommed in the Elite 8 by a guys who's essentially a tall decathlete, and his sidekick Rocksteady from the Ninja Turtles. These two jabronis couldn't replicate their success that day with 100 tries, and yet somehow their best day ever coincided with our worst day ever. I'm sick right now just thinking about it.
Texas would have been in its second Final Four in four seasons, and we would have been playing against a UCLA team that we were far superior to talent wise, and who would have really had no chance to stop our front court: PJ Tucker, LaMarcus Aldridge, and a senior Brad Buckman against Ryan Hollins, Cedric Bozeman, and a freshman Luc-Richard Mbah a Moute. I think we would have killed them, and been in the national title game against a pretty unbelievable Florida team that was crushing everything in its path after having been poor in SEC play. How amazing would have been. I need to see Texas win a title just to get over that year. We should have been playing for it all in 2006.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk