Missouri catches Texas at right time

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Longhorns are struggling.

A team that spent most of the first half of the season in the Top 10 has lost two straight games at home for the first time since the 2001-2002 season and finds itself stuck back in the pack in the Big 12.

Coach Rick Barnes is frustrated.

"It goes back to accountability and guys just simply doing their job," Barnes said after No. 16 Texas lost 69-65 to Missouri on Wednesday night, their second straight home loss after 19 wins in a row.

"I'm not worried about confidence as much as plain and simple everyone doing their job," he said. "It's the breakdowns. Not the toughness, it's the details. The mental side's got to be razor-sharp too, and we're not where we want to be."

The consecutive losses have exposed struggles on offense and defense -- which Texas can usually count on to keep them in games even when shots aren't falling.

First, Kansas State's Denis Clemente scorched the Longhorns for a Big 12-record 44 points as the Wildcats won in overtime. Against Missouri, it was a basket and free throw with 5.5 seconds left that did Texas in.

Texas (15-6, 4-3) returned four starters from last season's team that missed the Final Four by one game. But that one player who departed -- point guard D.J. Augustin, who is now in the NBA -- left a gaping hole in the offense and Texas has struggled to find answers.

Augustin held everything together. His ball-handling, passing, driving and shooting opened up the floor for shooters like A.J. Abrams and Damion James.

Abrams, the Big 12's career leader in 3-pointers, has struggled to find his shooting rhythm when asked to handle the ball more. Opposing teams have also found ways to extend their defenses to prevent even a quick shooter like him from getting open looks.

Justin Mason's play at the point has been inconsistent. It has forced him to abandon some of his aggressive play that sent him crashing into the lane for rebounds and putbacks so that he can get back on defense.

Against Missouri, Abrams missed a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left that would have given Texas the lead. Mason had seven assists but also had five turnovers.

James, a power forward his freshman and sophomore seasons, has moved to small forward and has been streaky.

"We've got to be smarter, and we've got to stop playing streetball," Abrams said.

The loss to Missouri wasted a breakout performance by 6-foot-10, 300-pound junior forward Dexter Pittman, who scored a career high 25 points in 23 minutes.

Pittman was an impressive force under the basket, moving defenders off the block and using his big shoulders to brush them away as he went up for powerful dunks and layups.

The problem was, Texas had few other offensive options. And when Pittman picked up his fourth foul in the final minutes, he became a defensive liability that the Tigers exposed for two quick baskets.

Barnes' teams typically have midseason swoons. He pushes them so hard in November and December that by around Christmas they look worn out, but they usually bounce back in time to be a force in the Big 12. Last year, the Longhorns rebounded to win a share of the league title.

"We've just got to figure out our team identity. Everybody's got to find their role and when they figure out their role they've got to come with their 'A' game every night," Pittman said.

Barnes' teams have lost more than four league games only twice in his 11 seasons at Texas, and their home court has been a sanctuary where they could count on wins.

But after two straight losses, the Erwin Center doesn't feel so cozy anymore. Texas still faces home games against No. 2 Oklahoma and road games at Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Kansas. The Longhorns play at Nebraska on Saturday.

"We've got to do something to right this right now," Abrams said.