No. 21 Texas struggles to 78-73 win over Incarnate Word

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Shaka Smart got a shaky start to his second season at Texas.

The good thing for the Longhorns is they still got a win and there's plenty of time for a new lineup to grow into the season.

Kendal Yancy made two late free throws, then followed with a tough layup in the final minute to send No. 21 Texas to a 78-73 season-opening win over Incarnate Word on Friday night, a surprisingly close finish to a game that most figured would be a blowout.

''Regardless of who we play, you've got to bring it,'' Yancy said.

Texas led by 16 early in the second half before Incarnate Word rallied to lead 67-66 on Sam Burmeister's 3-pointer with 2:30 to play.

Yancy got to the line for the lead, then made it 70-67 with a twisting layup around two defenders with 49 seconds left. He finished with 19 points.

Freshman Jarrett Allen added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Texas, which has an entirely new starting lineup after making the NCAA Tournament last season.

Texas was down two key players as guard Kerwin Roach Jr., and small forward Tevin Mack were suspended for the first game for a rules violation during the offseason. Roach is expected to start at point guard when he returns.

''The bottom line is our guys came back after giving up the double-digit lead and being down by one,'' Smart said. ''You want games like this you can learn from. At the same time, there's a humbling side.''

Shawn Johnson scored 24 points for Incarnate Word. He said the Cardinals pressed for the win at the end and made mistakes that opened the door for the Longhorns.

''Some players I think were shocked we took the lead. We started over-thinking. We wanted to take a one-point lead to five,'' Johnson said.

BIG PICTURE

Incarnate Word: The Cardinals were undersized but weren't intimidated on the road in the Big 12. They built a lead early and fought back in the second half when Texas was on the verge of a blowout. Even though it was a loss, it should be a confidence builder.

Texas: Smart has work to do in his second season at Texas. The Longhorns shot 57 percent in the first half to overcome 11 early turnovers, then struggled once they had a big lead in the second half. There's time to work out the kinks ahead of what will be a typically rugged Big 12 season, but there could also be some early growing pains.

''The key is do we get better. Do the guys walk into practice with a sense of urgency?'' Smart said.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Texas' preseason ranking means voters respect their potential, but the Longhorns could slide backward if they notice how they struggled.

BLOCK PARTY

Nearly overlooked in the close finish were the five blocks by Texas freshman forward James Banks. Pairing him with Allen can give the Longhorns a stout front line.

''That's my role. Defend the rim,'' Banks said.

TIRED LEGS

Texas' limited roster forced the Longhorns out on the court for long stretches. Four players logged at least 32 minutes. Allen played 36 minutes of his first college game and even walk-on Ryan McClurg got six minutes and played in the first half.

''Some of us got a little fatigued,'' Yancy said. ''We've got to clean up up some of the mess that was going on tonight.''

UP NEXT

Incarnate Word: After a big step up into the Big 12 for the season opener, Incarnate Word hosts Division II St. Edwards on Tuesday.

Texas: Texas gets to ease its young lineup into the season as the Longhorns next host Louisiana Monroe on Monday night.