LUBBOCK, Texas — Dylan Disu scored 21 points, Max Abmas added 18 and Texas had a big first half to beat Texas Tech 81-69 on Tuesday night in a game that included a significant delay after fans threw objects down.
Midway through the second half, Texas' Brock Cunningham gave a hard check to Darrion Williams, taking the Red Raiders player out of bounds. As officials reviewed the play, objects, including water bottles, were thrown to the ground and security could be seen escorting some fans out of the arena.
Cunningham was ejected with a flagrant foul 2, and Texas Tech received an administrative technical for fan behavior. That announcement sparked the release of more items. Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland took the microphone to implore the crowd to stop.
“We all know what's at stake in this game,” McCasland said afterward, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. “There's a lot going on. There's a lot of passion in this game. When you have to go talk on the microphone, you're talking to over 15,000 people, but in reality you're talking to a couple of people who are doing things that are completely unacceptable.” It was noticeable when I finally communicated clearly, like, this can't happen, a lot of people were clapping because they know it's not what we have to do and it cost us technical aspects and caused us a problem.
“But what comes with this great place is that there's a lot of passion and, unfortunately, I thought a few people's decisions impacted everyone and that's not what it's about, and we'll get better because of it.”
After play resumed, Tech (29-9, 8-7 Big 12) scored the next five points to cut the deficit below 20 for the first time in the half, but the Red Raiders were no closer than the 12 final points. margin.
Texas coach Rodney Terry said he told referees he was considering taking his team off the court before order was restored.
“I told that to [referee] “Kelly Self,” Terry said. “I said, Kelly, man, if they keep throwing things, because they're throwing right at our bench right now, I said we were going to go back to the locker room. I said I know we have a technical foul. It should be a second technical foul, but if they keep throwing things to our guys, on the bench, so we have to protect our guys and get in.”
Terry praised McCasland for taking the microphone and “calming everyone down a little bit.”
“Some coaches don't do that,” Terry said. “He did it. Congratulations. Proud of him. Proud of Coach Grant. He's a man of great character and a good man who has done a great job coaching his team.”
Chendall Weaver finished with 15 points and Kadin Shedrick had 10 for Texas (18-10, 7-8).
Isaacs finished with 17 points, 13 of them in the second half, for Tech, which lost for just the second time in 16 home games. Williams scored 16 points, Joe Toussaint 13 and Chance McMillian 10 along with a game-high nine rebounds. Seven-foot Warren Washington, who has started all 24 games he has played in, was out with a nagging foot injury.
A loud and energetic crowd urged the Red Raiders to begin this final scheduled matchup between the rivals. But Texas (18-10, 7-8), which will leave the Big 12 for the SEC next season, never trailed and outscored the Red Raiders 28-9 in the final seven minutes of the half to lead 47-9. 2. 3. Texas shot 60% in the first half, including 12 points from Disu and 11 from Abmas. Tech shot just 24% in the half, going 1 of 10 from the arc, and Isaacs was 0 of 10 from the floor.
56 free throws were taken and three players from each team finished with four fouls.
The Longhorns won a share of the season series and earned their 90th victory in the series that spanned 157 games.
Texas hosts Oklahoma State, while Texas Tech will host West Virginia on Saturday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
