The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
19-7,11-6Big 12
Oklahoma State
20-8,11-7Big 12
No. 13/16 Men’s Basketball wins Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship
03.13.2021 | Men's Basketball
Coleman III posts 30 points, and Sims adds 21 points and 14 boards to lead the Longhorns to their first Big 12 postseason tourney title in program history.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Senior guard Matt Coleman III registered a career-high 30 points, and senior forward Jericho Sims added a career-best 21 points and 14 rebounds to pace No. 13/16 Texas (19-7) to an exciting 91-86 victory against No. 12/14 Oklahoma State (20-8) on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Center in the title game of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. With the victory, UT captured the Big 12 postseason tournament crown for the first time in school history and secured the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Coleman converted 10-of-14 field goals, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 6-of-6 free throws in 37 minutes while becoming the first Longhorn to reach the 30-point mark in a Big 12 tourney contest since Kevin Durant in 2007. Sims dominated in the paint, hitting 8-of-11 field goals and grabbing six of his 14 boards on the offensive glass while adding three steals and two blocks in a season-high 35 minutes.
Junior guard Andrew Jones posted 13 points while converting a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line, tying a school Big 12 tourney single-game mark for most free throws made without a miss. Sophomore forward Kai Jones added 13 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes, and sophomore forward Brock Cunningham provided a spark with seven points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 26 minutes off the bench.
The Cowboys took an early 8-4 lead after a Bryce Williams transition layup at the 16:32 mark. Oklahoma State went ahead 13-11 following an Isaac Likekele layup with 14:22 left, but that would mark the final lead of the night for the Cowboys. The Longhorns responded with a 7-0 spurt over the next two minutes to grab an 18-13 advantage after a Coleman layup at the 12:34 mark.
Leading 29-25 with 5:44 remaining, Texas used a 14-4 run over a four-minute span to build a 43-29 cushion following a Cunningham three-pointer at the 1:28 mark. The Longhorns converted 55.2-percent (16-29) from the floor, including a 4-of-8 mark from three-point range, en route to a 43-33 halftime lead. UT held the Cowboys to an 0-of-9 mark from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.
Trailing 52-43 after a Sims free throw at the 15:24 mark, Oklahoma State scored seven straight points to pull within 52-50 following a Rondel Walker layup with 13:30 left. Texas again answered with a 14-5 run to increase its margin to 66-55 after a Coleman three at the 9:06 mark.
The Longhorns did not allow the margin to dip below six points until the final minute of the game. Cade Cunningham knocked down a pair of deep three-pointers to trim the deficit to 89-86 with six seconds remaining, but Andrew Jones calmly sank a pair of free throws to seal the win.
Texas will learn its NCAA Tournament placement during the NCAA Selection Show, set for Sunday, March 14 at 5 p.m. CT.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
#13/16 Texas 91, #12/14 Oklahoma State 86
March 13, 2021
T-Mobile Center (Kansas City, Mo.)
Attendance: 3,525
Team Notes
- Texas captured the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship title for the first time in school history. UT had been 0-6 in Championship game appearances prior to tonight's contest. The Longhorns previously claimed two conference postseason tourney titles, both coming during their time in the Southwest Conference (1994 and 1995).
- Texas set a school Big 12 tourney single-game team record for most points scored (91), topping the previous mark of 89 against Missouri in 2002.
- UT also set school Big 12 tourney single-game team marks for most free throws made (28, previous: 25 vs. TCU in 2013) and free throws attempted (36, previous: 34 vs. Oklahoma in 2004).
- The Longhorns will enter the postseason on a five-game win streak, with all five victories coming in either true road games or neutral-site contests. Three of the five wins have come against AP ranked opponents (at No. 16 Oklahoma, vs. No. 20 Texas Tech, vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State).
- Texas has now registered seven wins against AP Top 25 opponents this year (vs. No. 14 North Carolina, at No. 3 Kansas, at No. 14 West Virginia, No. 17 Kansas, at No. 16 Oklahoma, vs. No. 20 Texas Tech and vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State).
- Fourteen (14) of Texas' first 26 games this season have come against teams that were ranked at the time of the contest in either The AP or Coaches' Top 25.
- UT improved to 11-2 in games away from Austin this year, including a perfect 5-0 mark in neutral-site contests.
- Texas improved to 10-4 in games decided by six points or less this season.
- The Longhorns set team season highs in free throws made and attempted (28-36). UT's previous highs were 24 (Kansas, Feb. 23) and 34 (UTRGV, Nov. 25). By contrast, Oklahoma State went 13-of-17 from the line.
- Texas posted a plus-9 rebound margin (39-30), including a 14-10 edge on the offensive glass. The Longhorns registered a 17-11 advantage in second-chance points.
- Texas converted 55.2-percent (16-29) from the field, including 4-of-8 (.500) from three-point range, while building a 43-33 lead at the half.
- Set a career high in scoring (game-high 30 points), previous: 25 vs. Nevada (March 16, 2018)
- Became the first Texas player to reach the 30-point mark in a Big 12 tournament game since Kevin Durant had 37 vs. Kansas in 2007
- Became the first Texas player to reach the 30-point mark in any game since Kerwin Roach tallied 32 vs. North Carolina in 2018
- Topped the 20-point mark for the third time this year (26 games) and 12th time in his career (127 games)
- Set a career high in field goals made (10-14), previous: 9, four times
- Tied his season high in three-point field goals made (4-5)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 21st time this year and 76th time in his career
- Converted 6-of-6 free throws
- Tied his season high in scoring (7 points) while hitting 3-of-3 field goals, including 1-of-1 from three-point range
- Added 8 rebounds, 3 steals and set a career high with 2 blocks in 26 minutes
- Set a season high in free throws made (4-4)
- Registered a team-best plus-minus total of plus-8 in 19 minutes
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the 20th time this year (25 games) and 64th time in his career (101 games)
- Tied a school Big 12 Championship single-game mark for most free throws made without a miss (10-10), equaling Matt Coleman III's mark vs. Texas Tech in 2018
- Set a career high in free throws made, previous: 8 vs. Arkansas on Dec. 17, 2016
- Made his third start of the season (25 games) and 13th of his career (52 games) – first start sine Jan. 26 vs. Oklahoma
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the 12th time this year (25 games) and 14th time in his career (52 games)
- Posted 11 points (4-7 FG, 1-2 threes, 2-3 FT) and 3 rebounds in 13 minutes in the first half
- Set a career high in scoring (21 points), previous: 20 vs. Kansas on Jan. 18, 2020
- Set a season high in rebounds (14), just one shy of his career high (15, three times)
- Registered a double-double (21 points, 14 rebounds) for the fourth time this season (25 games) and eighth time in his career (118 games)
- Marked his third double-double in the last four games (16 points and 12 boards at Oklahoma, 10 points and 11 rebounds vs. Texas Tech)
- Set a career high in steals (3), previous: 2, six times
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 13th time this year and 34th time in his career
- Reached double digits in rebounds for the fifth time this season and 15th time in his career
- Set a season high in minutes (35), previous: 34 vs. Davidson (Nov. 30)
