The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
16-5,5-3Big 12
Tennessee
14-6,5-3SEC
No. nr/25 Men's Basketball defeats No. 18/20 Tennessee, 52-51
01.30.2022 | Men's Basketball
Timmy Allen converts a free throw with six seconds remaining to provide the winning margin.
AUSTIN, Texas — Senior Timmy Allen hit one-of-two free throws with six seconds remaining to help No. nr/25 Texas (16-5, 5-3 Big 12) post a 52-51 victory against No. 18/20 Tennessee (14-6, 5-3 SEC) on Saturday night before a sellout crowd at the Frank Erwin Center as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The game marked the return to the Erwin Center of Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes, the all-time winningest coach in Texas program history who posted a 402-180 mark in 17 seasons at Texas (1998-2015).
The Longhorns, who entered the game leading the nation in scoring defense (54.7 ppg), improved to 16-0 this year when holding its opponent below 60 points. Texas limited Tennessee to 51 points on 35.8-percent field goal shooting (19-53), including a 5-of-18 mark (.278) from three-point range, on the night.
Senior Courtney Ramey was the lone Texas player to reach double figures in scoring. Ramey posted a game-high 18 points while converting 6-of-10 field goals, including 4-of-8 threes, and added three assists, three rebounds, one block and one steal in 35 minutes. In addition to hitting the game-winning free throw, Allen had nine points and a team-best six rebounds to go along with three assists, two steals and one block in 37 minutes.
A back-and-forth first half saw four lead changes and three ties. Texas jumped out to a 9-4 advantage following an Andrew Jones layup at the 13:10 mark, before Tennessee answered with a 10-0 run over the next four minutes to take a 14-9 lead after an Uros Plavsic hook shot with 8:50 left.
The Longhorns responded immediately with a 10-0 run of their own to build a 19-14 cushion following a Ramey three-pointer at the 4:42 mark. The Volunteers used an 11-3 spurt to grab a 25-22 lead after a pair of Zakai Zeigler free throws with 1:22 remaining, but Texas' Devin Askew made a three-pointer with 13 seconds left and Ramey added a pair of free throws just before the halftime buzzer to give the Longhorns a 27-25 advantage at the break.
Texas continued the run at the start of the second half, eventually running off 15 consecutive points dating back to the first half while building a 37-25 cushion following a Tre Mitchell layup at the 15:53 mark. The margin remained in double digits and increased to as much as 17 points (49-32) after an Allen jumper with 7:57 remaining.
Tennessee then turned up its defensive intensity and used a 19-2 run over the next six-plus minutes to tie the score at 51-51 following a Victor Bailey Jr. tip-in at the 1:23 mark. After each team had a scoreless possession, Allen was fouled with six seconds left while attempting a jumper. He missed the first free throw but hit the second to give Texas a 52-51 lead. Tennessee had a look to win the game, but a three-point attempt from Josiah-Jordan James was off the mark to seal the win for the Longhorns.
Texas returns to action when it travels to face No. 13/14 Texas Tech on Tuesday, Feb. 2. Tip is set for 8 p.m. Central at United Supermarkets Arena, and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN2.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
#nr/25 Texas 52, #18/20 Tennessee 51
Big 12/SEC Challenge
January 29, 2022
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 16,540 (sellout)
Team Notes
- Texas improved to 4-3 against Tennessee in the all-time series. This marked the first meeting between the two schools since Nov. 24, 2007 (a 97-78 Texas victory in Newark, N.J.).
- UT improved to 4-4 all-time in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Texas is 4-1 in home games during the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
- Tonight's sellout crowd marked the first sellout at the Frank Erwin Center since Feb. 29, 2016 against No. 1/1 Kansas.
- Texas improved to 546-141 all-time in the Frank Erwin Center. The Longhorns are 274-58 at the Erwin Center in the last 20 seasons (dating to the start of the 2002-03 season), including a 12-1 mark in 2021-22.
- UT converted 54.1-percent from the floor (20-37), including a 7-of-16 mark (.438) from three-point range, for the game.
- Texas shot better than 50-percent from the field in both halves (52.6-percent in the first half, 55.6-percent in the second half).
- The Longhorns limited the Volunteers to 51 points on 35.8-percent FG shooting (19-53), including a 5-of-18 mark (.278) from three-point range, on the night.
- Texas improved to 16-0 this year when holding its opponent below 60 points.
- The Longhorns held Tennessee without a field goal from the 1:52 mark of the first half until the 14:40 mark of the second half (span of 8:12).
- Trailing 25-22 at the 1:22 mark of the first half, Texas used a 15-0 run over the next 5:29 to build a 37-25 lead with 15:53 remaining.
- Texas held a 49-32 advantage with 7:57 left in the game before Tennessee went on a 19-2 run over the next six-plus minutes to tie the score at 51-51 with 1:23 remaining.
- Hit 1-of-2 free throws with six seconds remaining which proved to be the game-winning point
- Reached double digits in scoring (game-high 18 points) for the 10th time this year (21 games) and 67th in his career (115 games)
- Tied his season highs in field goals made (6-10) and three-point field goals made (4-8)
