The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
9-2,0-0Big 12
Alabama State
2-10,0-0SWAC
No. 16/17 Men's Basketball tops Alabama State, 68-48
12.22.2021 | Men's Basketball
Dylan Disu records a season-high 14 points and three blocks in 18 minutes.
AUSTIN, Texas — Junior Dylan Disu recorded a team-high 14 points and three blocked shots to pace No. 16/17 Texas (9-2) to a 68-48 victory against Alabama State (1-10) on Wednesday afternoon at the Frank Erwin Center. UT, which entered the contest leading the nation in scoring defense (53.5 ppg), has now held six of its first 11 opponents below 50 points.
Disu, playing in just his third game for the Longhorns since recovering from a left knee injury last year at Vanderbilt, converted 6-of-10 field goals and 2-of-2 free throws while adding four boards, three blocks and two steals in 18 minutes. Senior Marcus Carr tallied 13 points while hitting 3-of-5 threes in 32 minutes, and senior Andrew Jones added 12 points and three assists. Senior Timmy Allen posted 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in 31 minutes.
With the score tied at 2-2, the Hornets went on a 14-2 run over a six-minute stretch to grab a 16-4 advantage following a Kenny Strawbridge three-pointer with 12:36 left. Texas responded with a 17-4 spurt over the next eight minutes to trim the margin to 21-20 after a pair of Allen free throws at the 4:23 mark.
Trailing 25-22 following a Trace Young jumper with 3:23 remaining, the Longhorns closed the half with a 7-0 run to take a 29-25 lead into the break. Disu had 10 points and three rebounds while hitting 5-of-7 field goals in 11 minutes of action during the first half.
The Hornets cut the deficit to a single point (31-30) after a Juan Reyna three-pointer with 18:32 left, but that was as close as Alabama State would get the rest of the way. The Longhorns immediately answered with a 10-0 run over the next five minutes to build a 41-30 cushion following a Carr three-pointer at the 13:43 mark.
An Isaiah Range jumper trimmed the margin to 44-35 with 12:28 left, but Texas responded with a 7-2 spurt to increase its advantage to 51-37 after a Jase Febres three-pointer at the 9:48 mark. Leading 53-42 with 6:45 remaining, the Longhorns scored six straight points to put the game out of reach and gain a 59-42 advantage following an emphatic Christian Bishop follow slam at the 4:16 mark.
Texas returns to action when it hosts Incarnate Word on Tuesday, Dec. 28. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. Central at the Frank Erwin Center, and the game will be televised nationally by Longhorn Network.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
#16/17 Texas 68, Alabama State 48
December 22, 2021
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 11,732
Team Notes
- This marked the first meeting between Texas and Alabama State in men's basketball.
- Texas improved to 541-140 all-time in the Frank Erwin Center. The Longhorns are 269-57 at the Erwin Center in the last 20 seasons (dating to the start of the 2002-03 season), including a 7-0 mark in 2021-22.
- The Longhorns held the Hornets to 48 points on 36.7-percent FG shooting (18-49), including a 5-of-15 mark (.333) from three-point range. UT allowed just six assists while forcing 20 turnovers.
- UT has now held six of its first 11 opponents below 50 points.
- The Longhorns improved to 9-0 this year when holding their opponent below 60 points.
- Texas tied a team season high in blocks (seven).
- UT registered 10 steals on the day. This marked the seventh time in its first 11 games that Texas has posted double digits in steals.
- The Longhorns recorded a 32-12 advantage in points in the paint and a 15-8 margin in points off turnovers.
- Texas tallied a plus-nine (37-28) rebound margin, including a 13-7 advantage on the offensive glass.
- The Longhorns went 13-of-14 (.929) from the free throw line on the afternoon.
- After falling behind 16-4 at the 12:36 mark, UT closed the first half on a 25-9 run to take a 29-25 lead into the break.
- Texas posted a 39-23 scoring margin in the second half, limiting the Hornets to 33.3-percent FG shooting (9-27) in the final 20 minutes.
- Reached double figures in scoring (10 points) for the ninth time this year (11 games) and the 80th time in his collegiate career (96 games)
- Set a season high and tied his collegiate career high with two blocked shots
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the sixth time at Texas (11 games) and 70th time in his collegiate career (103 games)
- Recorded a team-best plus-minus total of plus-18 in 32 minutes
- Reached double figures in scoring (season high and team-best 14 points) for the second time at Texas (three games) and 27th time in his collegiate career (52 games)
- Set season highs in points, field goals made (6-10), free throws made (2-2), blocks (three), steals (two) and minutes (18)
- Reached double figures in scoring (12 points) for the sixth time this year (11 games) and the 71st time in his collegiate career (113 games)
