Texas basketball fans bring unforgettable atmosphere to Moody Center in loss to Houston

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said after his team's 76-62 overtime win over Texas that "there's no such thing as an upset on the road in the Big 12."

That's because of the raucous home crowds that flood the conference. Iowa State, BYU and yes, Texas. Moody Center was packed with Longhorns fans on Monday night, screaming for offensive rebounds, standing up during defensive possessions and going nuts as the Cougars tried to shoot free throws.

"Our students came through in a big, big time way tonight," Texas coach Rodney Terry said. "Overflow section up top, made a great environment tonight in terms of having a home court. Longhorn nation came out tonight, really supported us in a big time way."

Texas needed every bit of that advantage against No. 4 Houston, who has one of the best defenses in the nation. It wasn't quite enough - but the Longhorns put pressure on the top team in the Big 12 and made them sweat down the stretch.

It was most apparent in the second half. Down 36-25 out of halftime, the crowd rallied around the team's hot shooting as they went on a 29-12 run that was capped off with a Dylan Disu 3-pointer in transition. Longhorn nation went ballistic and Houston, feeling the pressure, called a timeout to stall the momentum.

"This is what Moody was made for like that first lead change," Texas fan Jack Maddox said. "Like that second half...I'll probably never forget that."

More: With Cincinnati coming to town, Vic Schaefer reflects on Longhorns' attendance numbers

Even in a loss, the crowd at the center proved that it could stand with the loudest voices in the conference. It might not always be as energetic as it was on Monday, but Sampson has seen plenty of stadiums in his time as a coach. He readily acknowledged the disadvantage that he faced despite the win.

"This place is an advantage. I mean it's unique, it's beautiful," Sampson said.

The next step is consistently bringing that energy to all events, specifically the women's games. Coach Vic Schaefer acknowledged that he's had to come to grips with a smaller turnout than he initially anticipated when he came to Texas.

"I think we as a collective, whether it's marketing or whoever, we've got to find new ways of trying to get to new fans. I think that's the biggest thing I would say," Schaefer said.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas basketball lost to Houston, but Longhorn fans did not disappoint