The Texas Longhorns took a big step off the bubble with a 71-65 win over the Iowa State Cyclones on Thursday. They came in as an 11-seed on SB Nation's latest bracketology rankings, and were not one of the last eight teams to sneak in according to Chris Dobbertean. Still, Longhorns fans won't be sitting easy unless they win the 2012 Big 12 Tournament. On Friday, they'll take on the Missouri Tigers in hopes of padding their resume.
The Tigers will be heavy favorites, however, as they should be. They rolled to a 28-4 record (14-4 Big 12) behind a high-flying offense averaging 80 points per game. They took out the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Thursday, 88-70, behind 27 and 24 points from Kim English and Marcus Denmon, respectively.
Against the Cyclones, J'Covan Brown led the way with 23 points for the Longhorns. The junior is averaging over 20 points per game this season. He will need to be at his best if Texas hopes to score the upset, and solidify their spot on the right side of the bubble.
The two teams will tip off Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU. The winner will face whoever makes it out of the preceding game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Baylor Bears in the Big 12 Championship Game.
For updates and coverage of the 2012 Big 12 Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For news and information on Big 12 conference basketball, please visit Big 12 Hoops.