What's next for Texas?

Thursday's top college basketball story occurred off the court: Texas fired Chris Beard in the wake of his Dec. 12 arrest for a felony domestic violence charge. So we'll start there, then hit the on-court results from Thursday, and set up what's coming this weekend.

1. Chris Beard's out. Can Texas still be elite this season?

Thursday afternoon, after nearly a month-long suspension, the University of Texas announced its firing of head coach Chris Beard. Notably, the program did so with cause after his fiancée reported allegations of assault last month. 

Per Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, Beard's alleged actions exempt the university from owing him "any salary or buyout money from the seven-year, $35 million contract he signed with the Longhorns ahead of the 2021-22 season. The deal was set to run through 2028."

Also, from Norlander, Texas' athletic director Chris Del Conte did not make the final call. The move came from others in power. The university has remained steadfast in its decision, despite pushback from Beard's lawyer.

For complete coverage of the statements, plus thoughts on the timing of the firing, Beard's future, and Texas' long-term prospects, listen to Rob Dauster and Jeff Goodman break it down below:

Regarding the team, a season that shimmered with so much promise just five weeks ago has already started to dim. While Texas has posted a 6-1 record without Beard, the wins have been a far cry from its November demolition of Gonzaga or its gutsy triumph over Creighton on Dec. 1. But the starkest contrast in performance occurred Tuesday night when the Longhorns surrendered 116 points (1.41 points per possession) in a home loss to Kansas State. Never before had an unranked opponent scored that many points in a road win against a Top 10 team.

Nevertheless, Texas has no choice but to adjust. Maybe clarity on Beard's status will allow interim coach Rodney Terry to carry out his role more comfortably. Or perhaps it evokes a "nobody believes in us" response from the team. After all, the talent hasn't changed on this squad. Marcus Carr is still amidst a resurgence, Tyrese Hunter has made a notable offensive jump, and freshmen Arterio Morris and Dillon Mitchell will only improve as the year progresses. 

This is a gut check for the Longhorns, but not one that was unforeseen. The following week or so will give us better insight into their trajectory.

The school will keep Terry in his interim role for the remainder of the season. Expect a list of notable candidates to surface throughout the year, starting with names like John Calipari, Scott Drew and Eric Musselman, though the AFTER DARK team delivered two different names to watch. 

2. Boilers bounce back

Ah, the No. 1 ranking — it's a blessing and a curse. The added publicity can legitimize a program and galvanize a fan base. But it also puts the proverbial target on the top team's back. Purdue (re-)learned that Monday as Rutgers rumbled into Mackey Arena and left victorious. 

Last night, the Boilermakers showed the resolve that merited that No. 1 ranking, notching a road win of their own by beating Ohio State, 71-69.

But it took a little while to get the train rolling. Ohio State broke open a 12-point lead, even after losing starting big man Zed Key to a shoulder injury minutes into the contest. The Buckeyes also stymied Zach Edey, holding him to 4 points (2-of-6 from the field) in the first half. Nevertheless, thanks to a 3-point barrage, Purdue (14-1, 3-1 in Big Ten) climbed back into the game, trailing by just three at the break.

The second period brought enthralling back-and-forth play as the teams traded buckets behind their star freshmen. Ohio State's Brice Sensabaugh hit a litany of tough shots, while Purdue's Fletcher Loyer scored all 11 of his points after the intermission. And no basket was bigger than his game-winning 3, which followed a Justice Sueing turnover. He joined the Field of 68 AFTER DARK to discuss.

Credit to Edey for making Ohio State pay for the strong side double team. On a night where he scored only 16 points, he still found ways to impact the game.

Ohio State (10-4, 2-1) should not feel too discouraged. While it always stings to lose at home — especially to a Top 5 team — the Buckeyes looked like the Big Ten's second-best team. KenPom's metrics back up the eye test, as Ohio State's adjusted efficiency margin ranks just behind Purdue's. 

And who knows, as Sensabaugh and his freshman cohorts, Bruce Thornton and Felix Okpara, improve, they might eventually claim that No. 1 spot (in their league, that is.)

3. A track meet in Iowa City, plus other notable results

Purdue-Ohio State wasn't the only thrilling Big Ten game from last night. Iowa erased a 21-point deficit at home against Indiana for a wild 91-89 win. Kris Murray spearheaded the effort with 30 points, and the Hawkeyes (9-6, 1-3 in Big Ten) confused Indiana (10-4, 1-2) by switching to a zone defense.

Also, Mike Woodson was not happy with some of Fran McCaffery's antics. So how did Iowa make its rally, and what happened at the end? Connor McCaffery joined AFTER DARK to discuss it all.

The best of the rest:

Rutgers 64, Maryland 50Rutgers (11-4, 3-1 in Big Ten) continued its torrid stretch, annihilating Maryland (10-5, 1-3) in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated. Paul Mulcahy paced the Knights with 15 points, but just as important was the defense from stalwarts like Caleb McConnell and Mawot Mag.

Gonzaga 77, San Francisco 75In a rare occurrence for Gonzaga (13-3, 2-0 in WCC), it found itself down double-digits to a conference opponent. Drew Timme shot a shocking 3-of-16 from the field, but some late game heroics from Rasir Bolton staved off the Dons (11-7, 0-3).

FAU 88, UAB 86Is it time to rank the Owls? FAU (13-1, 3-0 in C-USA) has won 12 games in a row, the most recent against the formidable Blazers (12-3, 3-1) in game where both UAB led by six with just under four minutes left. Power wing Johnell Davis came off the pine and doubled his career high with 36 points. Additionally, FAU assisted on 50 percent of its baskets — this alley-oop to Alijah Martin might've been the most impressive.

UCLA 60, USC 58The veteran Bruins (14-2, 5-0 in Pac-12) looked surprisingly rattled in this rivalry game, as the Trojans (11-5, 3-2) outscored them by 10 in the second half. USC took the lead with 32 seconds left after Reese Dixon-Waters hit a hook shot over Jaime Jaquez. However, Jaylen Clark hit a clutch 3-pointer, and Boogie Ellis missed a potential game-winning jumper.

Arizona 70, Washington 67In the second bizarre Pac-12 game of the night, Arizona (14-1, 3-1) struggled at home with lowly Washington (9-7, 1-4). The Huskies led by 14 before the Wildcats' second-half rally. Keion Brooks held his own against Arizona's menacing frontline, but his game-tying 3-point attempt fell short.

Houston 87, SMU 53Maybe the Cougars will be the No. 1 team the rest of the season. They certainly played like it Thursday night as they flirted with a 40-point lead. Jarace Walker led Houston (15-1, 3-0 in AAC) with 23 points. We'll see if it can replicate this on Sunday at Cincinnati.

Vermont 74, Bryant 64Congrats to Vermont coach John Becker, who is now the program's all-time winningest coach, surpassing the legendary Tom Brennan. Win No. 265 came courtesy of four players hitting double figures, led by Aaron Deloney's 19 points. Vermont (8-8, 2-0 in America East) has won seven of its last eight.

Texas State 63, James Madison 62The Bobcats (8-8, 1-2 in Sun Belt) threw a wrench in the conference race with an upset win over the Dukes (11-5, 2-1). Brandon Davis scored 16 points and Drue Drinnon added a late free throw to seal the win.

Georgia Southern 81, Marshall 76The Sun Belt's other top team came couldn't steal a road win as Marshall's second-half rally came up short. The Thundering Herd (12-4, 1-2 in Sun Belt) got 22 points from Taevion Kinsey, but couldn't match Georgia Southern (10-6, 3-0) which had five players in double figures and is tied atop the conference. 

4. Xavier's next test

Last Saturday, Xavier stamped itself as a Big East contender in its electrifying home win over No. 2 UConn. The victory validated the Musketeers, who hung tough in losing efforts against Indiana, Duke and Gonzaga.

Now, after a week off, Xavier travels to Finneran Pavillion to face Villanova with a chance to get to 5-0 in Big East play for the first time since joining the league. What has led to such a strong start?

Contrary to his best Arizona teams, Sean Miller's squad has done most of its damage on the offensive end. The Musketeers boast the nation's ninth-best offense, per KenPom, marking the first time since 2015 a Miller-coached team ranked in the top 10 of the metric.

Balance is the essential ingredient. It can score just as efficiently at the rim (43.7 percent of its shots are close 2s —  the 25th-highest mark in the country, per Torvik) as it can from beyond the arc (40.4 percent from 3). But the Musketeers' most impressive attribute is the way they share the basketball. Whether it's in hi-low action, dribble-hand-offs, or weave ball screens, Xavier features intelligent passing and precise ball movement. The statistics tell the story, as it ranks third in the country in assist rate.

"[Miller] definitely emphasizes moving the ball and making the right play," junior wing Colby Jones told me. "He says the ball has energy a ton and I feel like our team is very unselfish when it comes to that."

Jones is averaging a career-best in assists (5.6 per game), and he has also played a significant role in Xavier's hot shooting. The veteran has upped his 3-point percentage from last season's 29.2 to this year's 45.0. 

"I took a lot of shots and did a lot of skill work throughout the whole summer. I wasn't just practicing and chilling afterward," Jones said with a laugh. "I just took a lot of shooting reps to get more confident in my jump shot."

Villanova faces a tough task in slowing down Xavier tomorrow afternoon, especially the matchup between Jones and 'Nova freshman Cam Whitmore. Whitmore provided the Cats with an immediate boost when he made his debut on Dec. 3; the athletic wing stars on both ends of the court, and he has helped Villanova win six of its past eight games — something Jones and Musketeers have noted.

"We played there last year and it was rocking," Jones said. "They're way better than what their record shows. It's gonna be a great test for us."

5. Quadruple threat for the Big 12

This will likely be a recurring theme all season, but the Big 12 is bringing the goods this weekend. Saturday, in particular, offers a must-watch slate, as there are four matchups between top-35 KenPom teams (sorry Oklahoma and Texas Tech fans). Let's look at the most intriguing storylines for each.

Kansas at West Virginia: Can West Virginia rekindle its hot shooting?

After last year's debacle, the Mountaineers have recuperated rather nicely. The primarily new roster has played like a typical Bob Huggins team in some ways (i.e. offensive rebounding and defense). But WVU's biggest advantage has stemmed from its long-distance shooting. The Mountaineers rank 60th nationally in 3-point percentage at 36.6. That number has plummeted to 25 percent over their past two games (losses at Kansas State and Oklahoma State). Perhaps returning to the comforts of home will provide a tonic. And if it wants to take down Kansas, it better do so.

Kansas State at Baylor: Can the pupil defeat the teacher?

In a sort of homecoming for Jerome Tang, he travels to Waco, where he coached alongside Scott Drew for 19 seasons. Baylor's typically stout defense is reeling — it most recently surrendered 88 points at home to TCU. What's more, the Horned Frogs only hit three 3-pointers on the Bears! If Baylor doesn't regroup, K-State has the firepower to expose all the defensive holes. Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson pose all sorts of problems on the perimeter.

Texas at Oklahoma State: Who wins the battle along the interior?

Texas ranks eighth in the country in offensive 2-point field goal percentage, while Oklahoma State places 11th in defensive 2-point field goal percentage. The Longhorns' frontline feasts around the basket (Dillon Mitchell, Christian Bishop and Dylan Disu are all shooting 70 percent or better at the rim, per Hoop-Math), and their guards get to the cup as well. But the team must deal with one of the nation's nastiest rim protectors in Oklahoma State's Moussa Cissé. With the junior big man erasing easy shots, the 'Pokes have an excellent chance to hold serve at home.

Iowa State at TCU: Whose offense is less ugly?

If you're looking for offensive fireworks, this game isn't for you. Both squads win with their defense, strong-arming their foes into mistakes. Iowa State, in particular, thrives at creating chaos — no team forces more turnovers than the Cyclones. Unfortunately for them, TCU does an admirable job at taking care of the ball (20th in offensive turnover rate.) Additionally, the Horned Frogs have a get-my-offense-out-of-jail-free card in junior guard Mike Miles. In six games since returning from injury, he is averaging 21.3 points.

Kent State's flashy start driven by stellar defense

Charleston is ranked in the AP Top 25. FAU and UAB might have cases for at-large bids. But among the impressive mid-major schools, Kent State is as good as any of them. They're experienced (the Golden Flashes start three seniors, a junior and a sophomore, four of whom have played together for at least two seasons), and their defense is playing an all-time high under coach Rob Senderoff, who joined us for Four Questions.

Q:  Kent State's had a tremendous start to the season. Your team's 11-3, with those losses coming against ranked teams. And if you guys get a break or two, you could've had a win at a place like Houston or Gonzaga, which would've been quite the statement. How was it playing in those environments and how are you feeling about your team thus far?

Rob Senderoff: Absolutely, no doubt. Against Charleston, they made a big play at the end of the game. There was a really tough no-call that allowed them to make the game-winning shot. Houston, we had a chance to win with 1:30 to go. Gonzaga, we were up four, with about four minutes to go. But all three were awesome environments. Charleston, for a mid-major over Thanksgiving break, that was really packed. It was the first time I've been in the Kennel — very cool to play there. And Houston? Well, the way they play, it just makes it so tough. I don't care where they play, they'll make any environment feel big.

Q: It's interesting to contrast those styles, too. You and Houston are both defensive-oriented teams, but they're gonna slow it down and you guys want to play a bit faster and rely on pressure. And this year, that's worked. You're ranked among the Top 40 most efficient defenses on KenPom. You're forcing turnovers (only 10 teams force turnovers at a higher rate) and you make it difficult for opponents to get a good shot. What's been the biggest factor in that defensive jump?

Rob Senderoff: We have two elite defensive guards in Malique Jacobs and Sincere Carry. You put the two of them on any roster in the country and they would make an impact. That's how good they've been. Our front-court guys are protecting the paint, and we have some versatility with our wings. But the defense, you know, it starts with those two guys. Both were on the MAC All-Defensive team last year and both have had even better seasons defensively to date, I think they're number one and two in the league in steals, but I really think that's only part of how good they are.

[Western Michigan's] Lamar Norman is an elite scorer and he really struggled in in the in the conference opener against us. You look at [Houston's] Marcus Sasser, he's an All-American and he struggled against us. I would like to think that if you ask Coach [Kelvin] Sampson or if you ask coach [Mark] Few, they would both say their perimeter struggled. Defense is obviously a team thing, but it starts with those two guys.

Q: You're in your 12th year at Kent State. And I had to check this before we talked, but you've had terrific teams. You've won at least 20 games seven times but have only been to one NCAA Tournament. That speaks to how competitive MAC basketball's been, but also that it's hard to get to the tourney. This week, news surfaced that the NCAA's transformation committee will recommend expanding the field of some postseason tournaments. Where would you stand on possibly expanding the NCAA Tournament?

Rob Senderoff: I'm a coach from a one-bid league. If more opportunities are given, to teams like ours, or Toledo from a couple of years ago, I think that it's beneficial. I had a thought —  and I'm sure someone has a reason why it can't happen — but you have a bigger tournament. And on that Tuesday and Wednesday, you had four games of eight teams playing for the 12 seed. And on Wednesday you had four games of eight teams playing for the 13 seed. Let's say the 12 seed was all power six teams. And the teams vying for the 13 seed were non-power conference teams.

You expand the tournament and give teams a chance to get into the NCAA Tournament. Who wouldn't be excited to watch a full day on Tuesday, and a full day on Wednesday? Who says no to that?

Q: College basketball is a famously regional sport with very few nationally known rivalries. But if more people knew how close Kent State was to Akron's campus and understood how consistently good both programs have been through the years, would we be talking about this as one of college basketball's great rivalries?

Rob Senderoff: It is unquestionably one of college basketball's great rivalries. Anyone who's been a part of the game, anyone who's been to either the JAR (James A. Rhodes Arena) or to the M.A.C. Center for one of those games knows how great it is. For 20 years now, every game has been sold out. And many of those have been games with meaningful outcomes where it meant winning the division, though now we've gone away from that in the MAC. But this rivalry is big. We're just 12 miles from each other. We're as close as North Carolina and Duke are to each other and that creates such an intense rivalry. There have been years where we go back and forth during the season, and then we've had years where we end up meeting in the conference championship game, and it'll pack 14,000 people in downtown Cleveland. 

It's an awesome, awesome rivalry. 

Kent State plays at Miami (Ohio) on Saturday at 3:30 pm ET.

Unexpected unbeatens

Brad Brownell and Jeff Capel — two coaches who entered the season with their seat warmers blasting — have their teams undefeated in ACC play. That will change Saturday as Clemson (12-3, 4-0) ventures to the Zoo to take on Pitt (11-4, 4-0). Both teams have found unexpected production from veteran guards (Chase Hunter for the Tigers, Jamarius Burton for the Panthers), but the showdown between stretch big men PJ Hall and Blake Hinson will be equally as fascinating.

Other games to watch (All times ET):

SATURDAY

• Creighton (9-6, 3-1 in Big East) at UConn (14-2, 3-2), Noon (FOX)

• Arkansas (12-2, 1-1 in SEC) at Auburn (11-3, 1-1), 8:30 pm (SEC Network)

• Kentucky (10-4, 1-1 in SEC) at Alabama (12-2, 2-0), 1 pm (SEC Network)

• Utah State (13-2, 2-0 in MWC) at Boise State (11-4, 1-1), 6:30 pm (FS1)

• NC State (12-4, 2-3 in ACC) at Virginia Tech (11-4, 1-3), 7:30 pm (ESPN+)

SUNDAY

• Ohio State (10-4, 2-1 in Big Ten) at Maryland (10-5, 1-3), 1 pm (ESPN)

• Houston (15-1, 3-0 in AAC) at Cincinnati (11-5, 2-1), 3 pm (ESPN)

• Purdue (14-1, 3-1 in Big Ten) vs. Penn State (11-4, 2-2), 6 pm (Big Ten Network)

Down with the Ill-ness

Remember when Illinois beat UCLA and Texas on neutral courts? Well, what happened? The Illini sit at 0-3 in the Big Ten, and their path to the W column doesn't get any easier this weekend (they play Wisconsin on Saturday).

Can they regroup? Robbie Hummel and Jeff Goodman try to diagnose Illinois' problems below.

Subscribe to The Field of 68 on YouTube and click here to subscribe to the Goodman and Hummel podcast.

Links as you debate if it's worth spending four minutes to watch this 15-year time-lapse.

• Legendary St. John's coach Lou Carnesecca turned 98 yesterday.

• Kevin Durant is a Big Ten fan.

• Barstool Sports' Roundball podcast, which regularly features Michigan's Hunter Dickinson, removed an episode in which one of his co-hosts compared Tom Izzo to Hitler. Per the AP, Dickinson was involved in the decision to take the episode down.

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