Chris Beard’s first season at Texas has come to an end. And he thinks he knows one of the biggest reasons why his Longhorns fell to Purdue.
Texas lost 81-71 to Purdue in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The game was tied with just under 10 minutes left, but Purdue pulled away thereafter and did not look back.
One of the stats from the game that stood out had to do with free throw disparity. The Boilermakers attempted 46 free throws, compared to just 12 for the Longhorns.
That disparity is something Beard noted in his postgame media appearance.
“The differential in the game, free throws, be careful what to say, but 46 to 12, there hasn’t been a lot of games in the NCAA Tournament like that. … The free-throw discrepancy, it was tough,” Beard said. “We know it’s a big part of Purdue’s identity. But again, 46 to 12, that’s a little frustrating.”
More Beard: "We know it's a big part of Purdue's identity. But again, 46 to 12, that's a little frustrating."
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) March 21, 2022
The 46 free throws by Purdue were the most by a team in the NCAA Tournament since 2014. A big factor in the difference is that Texas stayed outside and attempted 28 3-pointers, while Purdue forced the ball inside and in the paint. But Beard still doesn’t think it justified the huge difference.
Texas went 22-12 in its first season under Beard. Purdue, the No. 3 seed in the East Region, will face Saint Peter’s in the Sweet 16 and has a strong shot at the Elite Eight.
Photo: Feb 1, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Chris Beard looks up at the scoreboard in the second half during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
