Even by the standards of an in-state rivalry between two conference foes (for now), Texas men’s basketball’s 81-69 win Tuesday night at Texas Tech got particularly heated.

With the Longhorns leading 65-40 with about 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Texas forward Brock Cunningham lowered his shoulder into Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams while chasing after a loose ball, knocking the 6-foot-6 Red Raiders guard into the first row of courtside seats and the broadcast table.

Williams quickly got up and angrily confronted Cunningham, who, following a video review from the officials, was assessed a Flagrant II foul and ejected from the game.

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As officials were at the monitor looking over the play, Texas Tech fans at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock began throwing objects onto the court, including water bottles and a mostly full can of beer from the venue’s upper deck that landed close to the Texas huddle.

"I did say that to (referee) Kelly Self," Longhorns coach Rodney Terry said after the game. "I said, Kelly, man, if they keep throwing things, because they're throwing directly at our bench at this point, I said we're gonna go back in the locker room. I said I know we've got one technical foul. It should be a second technical foul but if they keep throwing things at our guys, at the bench, then we've got to protect our guys and go inside."

Texas Tech was hit with a technical foul for the fans’ actions, giving Texas a pair of free throws. Shortly after the objects were thrown on the court, Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland took hold of the arena’s public address microphone and told fans to stop.

His words simmered the rising tensions and the game continued.

"Order was quickly restored," Terry said. "I thought Grant did a great job getting on the microphone and talking to the crowd, settling everybody down a little bit. Some coaches won't do that. He did that. Kudos to him. Proud of him. Proud of Coach Grant. He's a man of a lot of character and a good man who's done a great job coaching his team."

It’s unclear at this point whether Cunningham’s foul and subsequent ejection will lead to a suspension of any kind. Texas returns to action Saturday, when it hosts a 12-15 Oklahoma State team at the Moody Center.

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Tuesday night’s triumph against Texas Tech was notable for more than just Cunningham’s foul and the shenanigans that ensued after it.

In what is the last scheduled meeting between the Longhorns and Red Raiders before the former heads to the SEC next season, a Texas team that had lost five of its previous eight games picked up a Quad 1 victory for its NCAA Tournament resume by defeating a team in the top 35 of the NET rankings on the road.

The win improved its record against Quad 1 opponents to 5-7 this season and solidified the Longhorns’ NCAA Tournament resume while perhaps temporarily moving them off the tournament’s dreaded bubble.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Rodney Terry: Texas nearly left after Tech fans threw objects on court