The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
17-12, 7-9
Oklahoma State
16-13, 6-10
Men's Basketball wins thriller over Oklahoma State, 65-64
02.24.2018 | Men's Basketball
Junior guard Kerwin Roach II hits game-winning basket with 1.2 seconds remaining.
AUSTIN, Texas – Junior guard Kerwin Roach II drove the lane and hit the game-winning layup with 1.2 seconds left as Texas Men's Basketball won a 65-64 thriller against Oklahoma State at the Erwin Center on Saturday afternoon. Four Longhorns scored in double digits with junior forward Dylan Osetkowski leading the way with 13 points and nine rebounds
Osetkowski's 13 points came on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Roach II added 12 points, four boards and dished out team-high five assists in 37 minutes. Sophomore guard Jacob Young contributed a season-high 12 points and four rebounds, while freshman forward Jericho Sims recorded 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting and seven rebounds.
Texas converted 23-of-56 (41.1%) from the field and held a 25-13 advantage in bench scoring.
The Longhorns fell behind early after Oklahoma State recorded the first seven points. Texas connected on five straight field goals and held OSU scoreless for two minutes to take its first lead of the contest at 17-16 with 10:40 remaining. A Mohamed Bamba tip-in at the 5:56 mark gave Texas a three-point (21-18) advantage.
Texas extended its lead to 26-20 after Sims completed a traditional three-point play with 4:25 to play in the opening half. Oklahoma State knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but the Longhorns held OSU to just 1-of-5 shooting over the final two minutes as UT headed to the break with a 33-28 lead.
Sims and Osetkowski led Texas with seven points each in the opening half, while Roach II added four points and five assists. The Longhorns held Oklahoma State to just 35.7 percent (10-of-28) shooting from the field, including 5-of-14 (35.7%) from beyond the arc.
The Cowboys scored the first nine points coming out of halftime to regain a 37-33 lead. OSU extended its lead to double-digits (45-35) with 15:06 to play after an 8-0 run over a 2:14 stretch. A 3-pointer from Young trimmed the deficit to five (49-42), but Oklahoma State answered on the opposite end with a corner three at the 9:15 mark.
Young connected once again from deep at the 2:40 mark to cap a 15-3 run over a six-minute stretch, as the Longhorns built a four-point cushion to force an OSU timeout. Texas led 63-62 with 34 seconds remaining after Sims knocked down a jumper in the lane. OSU answered on the opposite end to regain a 64-63 advantage with 22 seconds to play, but Roach II drove the lane and completed the game-winning layup.
The Longhorns head to Lawrence, Kan. to face No. 8/8 Kansas on Monday, Feb. 26. Tip is set for 8 p.m. Central at Allen Fieldhouse, and the contest will be nationally televised on ESPN.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas 65, Oklahoma State 64
February 24, 2018
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 12,316
Team Notes
- Texas improved to 50-43 all-time against Oklahoma State in the series between the two schools.
- UT improved to 29-13 all-time against Oklahoma State in games played in Austin. The Longhorns have won 12 of the last 14 meetings at home against the Cowboys.
- Texas improved to 499-123 all-time in games at the Erwin Center. Texas improved to 227-40 at the Erwin Center in the last 16 seasons (dating to the start of the 2002-03 season). UT is 36-14 at home during the Shaka Smart era (12-4 this season).
- UT matched its largest comeback win of the season. The Longhorns trailed by 10 (45-35) with 15:06 remaining in the second half. Texas also overcame a 10-point deficit in the home win against No. 12/15 Oklahoma (Feb. 3) – trailed 50-40 with 16:26 remaining in the second half.
- The Longhorns posted a 25-13 advantage in bench scoring and a 32-24 margin in points in the paint.
- Texas held the Cowboys to 28 points on 35.7% FG shooting (10-28) in the first half.
- Did not play in second half (left toe injury)
- Reached double figures in scoring (team-high 13 points) for the 22nd time this season (29 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring (12 points) for the 17th time this year (27 games) and 43rd time in his career (92 games)
- Hit the game-winning layup with 1.2 seconds remaining
- Reached double figures in scoring (11 points) for the second time this season (29 games) and first since he had a season-high 14 vs. TCU (Jan. 10)
- His 7 rebounds were two shy of his season high (9 at Oklahoma State on Jan. 13)
- Reached double figures in scoring (12 points) for the fourth time this year (25 games) and seventh time in his career (58 games)
- Posted a season high in scoring – previous was 11 vs. New Hampshire (Nov. 14)
- His 12 points were two shy of his career high (14 at Texas Tech on March 1, 2017)
- Marked his first double-digit scoring effort since he has 10 points vs. Louisiana Tech (Dec. 16)
- Posted a season high in minutes (28) – previous was 27 vs. Louisiana Tech (Dec. 16)
- Tied his season high in field goals made (4-8)
- His 4 rebounds were one shy of his career high (5 vs. Tennessee State on Dec. 18, 2017)
POSTGAME QUOTES
TEXAS
Head Coach Shaka Smart
On the win: It was, in a lot of ways, the opposite of what happened at their place. We were the ones who had a double-digit lead there in the second half, but our guys did a good job of staying together down the stretch. Obviously, we were down a few guys. We had some different lineups in there that we haven't played a lot this year. We were able to make one more play. I told the guys that it was a possession game. It was going to come down to a small number of possessions and it did.
On winning without key players: I thought our guys had a good spirit, even when we got down 7-0 to start the game. We were getting really good shots, we just weren't making them. On the first play of the game, Dylan [Osetowski] had a layup that he missed. Then during the start of the second half, there was a stretch where I thought our spirit got away from us a little bit. We didn't have the same energy, and they were able to go on a run. But we were able to hold it together. When Oklahoma State went up 10 points, our guys were able to make some plays. We were able to go inside to Dylan. We want him to attack because good things happen when he does. [Kerwin] Roach was good today. He only shot 4-of-14 from the field and went 0-6 from three, but I thought that as an upperclassman, which we didn't have a lot of on the court, he gave us a big lift.
On the final play: First, the reason we called the timeout was because we wanted to get the ball into Roach's hands. We thought that was the best option for us. Oklahoma State did a good job of guarding the initial pick-and-roll. Roach almost passed it to Jericho [Sims] because he had a couple of guys on him. We always tell our guys when you have two guys guarding you to find the open man, but Roach kept his dribble and pulled back. He's so good at finding a seam. He was able to find the seam and it was a good finish.
On Jacob Young's performance: Jacob is a guy who loves to play as much as anyone. Probably more than anyone. He eats, sleeps and breathes this game. He comes from a family with multiple NBA players in it, so there's a high standard there. He hasn't yet done all of the things he wants to do in college. He probably feels like at times that he hasn't had as much opportunity. He got it today. He got the opportunity. We were a couple of guys down. He knew he was going to play a lot. He knew we needed him to be sound and have a clear mind. I thought he made one or two plays where he lost his mind, but other than that he was very solid.
Junior guard Kerwin Roach II
On the final play to win: Coach [Smart] just believed in me to go and make the play and get the win. It feels good. We stuck together and just believed in each other and fought.
Sophomore guard Jacob Young
On how Texas overcame setbacks to get the win: Stepping up was just my role. I had to step up because Andrew [Jones] is not here, Eric [Davis Jr.] was out, and Mo [Bamba] was out. I always try to bring a spark. In the second half, my teammates helped me and helped get us home. They basically just picked me up and they made me do that. Without those guys, I wouldn't be able to do that. They picked me up and encouraged me.
On preparing: When I found out, basically coaches told me that I had to step up and bring my part to the team. My preparation was really the same. My preparation is always to prepare myself every day like I'm getting ready to play 40 minutes. I've always been ready. You stay ready.
Junior forward Dylan Osetkowski
On Texas displaying resiliency: I think that everybody did really well. We knew going into this game that it was going to be important because of who we were playing. Obviously it was Mo [Bamba] not playing in the second half, we knew that guys would have to step up--JY [Jacob Young], Jericho [Sims], Snoop [Kerwin Roach], me. Everybody had to and we needed this win badly. We knew that it would take whatever it took. So we left it all on the floor and got the win.
Freshman forward Jericho Sims
On approaching adversity: It's not the first time that Mo [Bamba] has been out, so my coaches always put me in a position to step up and do my job.
OKLAHOMA STATE
Head Coach Mike Boynton
Opening Statement: Very competitive game, both teams fighting for their lives here at the end of the year. I thought both teams went out there and really competed. I was proud of my guys to continue to fight out on the road, which we have done pretty much all year. We've had some success, and tonight was pretty resembling of how we played against them in Stillwater, it was almost the exact same score except that it was flipped, and they won. We were obviously disappointed that we didn't win, but it was still another great moment in college basketball, and especially in the Big 12.
On Boynton's reaction to Mo Bamba not coming back: I didn't really think much of it at all. Those dudes have a really strong staple of players over there. They could throw in Sims, who is going to be really good in the not too distant future, and the job that Shaka has done, I would not say he increased the level of talent because they have always had a lot of talent, but continues to recruit talented guys. Like guys who will likely be a top five pick and find a way to sustain a way stretch of great play
On Oklahoma State's early run that built a lead: Our defense, we contested a lot of shots and kept our hands secure on some rebounds that helped us run in transition. It is not a secret we are the best when we run in transition. We didn't get a ton of easy baskets in the first half. It was a big problem for us, which was a big part of their game plan. We were a little more disciplined in that regard to start the second half and that is how we took the lead.
Senior guard/forward Jeffrey Carroll
On coach Boynton's message after the game: Just keep fighting, that's all that we can do.
On Bamba being out in the second half and if it affected their game: Yes, for sure he's a great shot blocker.
Sophomore guard Lindy Waters
On what was working for Oklahoma State: Just doing what we do best, getting stops, rebound and run. During the first timeout, Coach [Boynton] said we had five straight stops. Then we had two or three more and then we kept running, because that's what we are best at.
On the six lead changes: Just like a lot of other things this year, we are used to it. Sometimes the ball just goes in for the other team.
On positives taken from today: I thought we played really hard today, I thought we competed at a high level, and I thought we wanted it more than them.
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