Timmy Allen: 'It was getting poppin' tonight'

Texas’ offense got rolling and was never stopped in this weekend’s 94-60 victory over West Virginia. They were so efficient and high scoring that, following the win, senior forward Timmy Allen put it the only way he knew how.

Allen had an awesomely interesting way in which he recounted the 34-point win in media afterward. At the root of it, though, was how impressed he was with their ball movement, shot-making, and offensive execution on Saturday afternoon.

“It was getting poppin’ tonight,” said Allen. “Everyone was making shots, we were moving it. Obviously we like to find the hot hand, whether that is Sir’Jabari (Rice) or Marcus (Carr) or me. It was great.”

“We were just poppin’ it, sharing the sugar. And we’re really good when we do that and get a shot. That’s what we’re looking to do,” Allen said.

The Longhorns most certainly ‘got it poppin” against the Mountaineers. As a team, they shot 46.9% from the field and 58.8% from three. They also ‘shared the sugar’ well too with 16 assists while seven players finished with six or more points.

With a Top-25 offense, Texas can overwhelm teams with what they do on that end. That’s exactly what Allen and his teammates did in their rout this weekend and, from here, is what they plan to keep doing during their final six-game stretch starting tonight at Texas Tech.

Terry addresses the impact Sir’Jabari Rice has on Texas

Texas‘ dominant 94-60 win over West Virginia was highlighted by the excellent play of sixth-man Sir’Jabari Rice off of the bench. Rice had a season-high 24 points against the Mountaineers, shooting efficiently from the field, the three-point line, and the free-throw line.

Following their win interim head coach Rodney Terry was asked if there could be a case made that Rice is the best sixth-man in the entire country.

“From the time we recruited Jabari our very first pitch to him was, ‘Hey, we need a guy that wants to come in. And just win at a high level like you’ve won and do whatever it takes for the team’,” Terry explained. “His pitch back was, ‘Hey, I want to be at Texas. And if it calls me coming off the bench? I’ll do whatever’. And he’s had that attitude and that approach the entire time.”

This is Rice’s first year with Texas, transferring in this offseason after four years at New Mexico State. In Austin, he’s assumed the role of the team’s scoring spark off the bench.

Terry made the case for why he could be the best bench player in the nation.

“I think, without a doubt, he’s the best sixth-man in the best league in the country. And that makes him have a chance to be the best sixth-man in the country,” Terry said.

“He’s really over the last three weeks has done a great job with this attitude and approach to practice. And I thought it’s carried over in the games,” Terry said.

Rice is heating up at the right time with just six games remaining in the regular season, and if he can continue his impressive play for tournament time, it could be bad news for teams facing the Longhorns.