It became something of a political football involving a basketball coach when Texas gave Rick Barnes a $200,000 raise recently.

According to the Associated Press, a few Texas state legislators objected strongly last week when the University of Texas increased a scheduled $75,000 raise to $200,000 for the veteran Longhorns coach.

updated: 8:13 p.m.

GREENSBORO -- Had Harrison Barnes gotten a chance to loft a last-second shot at Greensboro Coliseum on Saturday, the freshman wing is fairly certain that he – and his North Carolina teammates – would be celebrating a four-game winning streak.

Instead, after losing a late 7-point lead, and the game to No. 22 Texas 78-76 at Greensboro Coliseum, the Tar Heels (7-4) are left to dissect how so much went wrong, so quickly.

“I was supposed to get the shot on that last play – but I was a little too far [away], and they defended it well,’’ said Barnes, who finished with 16 points. “ I felt like all I needed on that one was a touch to knock it down … for us not to be able to get a good shot off on that last play, that’s frustrating.”