The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
6-0,0-0Big 12
Creighton
6-2,0-0Big East
No. 2/2 Men's Basketball defeats No. 7/7 Creighton, 72-67
12.01.2022 | Men's Basketball
Carr posts a season-high 19 points in the victory as part of the Big 12-BIG EAST Battle.
AUSTIN, Texas — Graduate guard Marcus Carr posted a season-best 19 points to pace No. 2/2 Texas (6-0) to a 72-67 victory against No. 7/7 Creighton (6-2) on Thursday evening in front of another sellout crowd at Moody Center as part of the Big 12-BIG EAST Battle. The Longhorns posted their first home win in an AP Top 10 matchup since No. 2 Texas claimed a 79-68 victory over No. 9 Michigan State on Dec. 22, 2009.
This marked UT's second win against an AP Top 10 opponent in its first six contests this season. The Longhorns earned a 93-74 home win against No. 2 Gonzaga on Nov. 16.
Texas held the Bluejays to a season-low 67 points on 40.9-percent field goal shooting (27-66), including a 4-of-27 (.148) mark from three-point range. Creighton entered the game averaging 83.9 points per contest while converting 51.2-percent from the floor, including a 38.2-percent mark from three-point range. The Longhorns also registered 15 assists against just three turnovers as a team.
Carr tied his season high in field goals made (7-20) and added a season-high five rebounds while posting five assists without a turnover in 34 minutes. Sophomore Tyrese Hunter tallied 15 points in 34 minutes, and super senior Timmy Allen registered 11 points (5-10 FG), seven boards and four assists in 26 minutes. Freshman Dillon Mitchell recorded 10 points (5-8 FG) and three rebounds in 20 minutes.
A back-and-forth first half featured 11 lead changes and six ties. After a pair of Trey Alexander free throws gave the Bluejays a 17-16 advantage with 11:46 remaining, the Longhorns used a 6-0 spurt to take a 22-17 lead following a Hunter layup at the 8:37 mark.
A Carr layup gave Texas a 24-19 cushion with 5:51 left. Creighton responded with a 6-0 run to grab a 25-24 advantage following an Arthur Kaluma layup at the 4:20 mark. The Longhorns closed the half with an 8-2 spurt to build a 32-27 halftime cushion.
UT limited the Bluejays to 27 points on 39.3-percent (11-28) field goal shooting, including a 1-of-12 (.083) mark from three-point range, in the opening half. The 27 points allowed marked the fewest points scored by Creighton in a half this season, as it previously totaled 30 in the first half against Arizona.
A Christian Bishop layup increased UT's advantage to 37-30 at the 17:44 mark, but Creighton responded with six straight points to trim the deficit to 37-36 following a pair of Alexander free throws with 15:36 left. The Longhorns immediately answered with a 10-0 run to build a 47-36 cushion after an Allen layup at the 13:08 mark.
The margin stayed at above eight points until a Ryan Nembhard layup closed the gap to 60-54 with 4:57 remaining. The Bluejays trimmed the deficit to three points (62-59) following a Baylor Scheierman three-pointer at the 2:33 mark.
Texas used a Carr jumper and Hunter layup to increase its cushion to 66-59 with 45 seconds remaining. Another Scheierman three-pointer cut the lead to 68-65 with 11 seconds left, but Carr and Brock Cunningham both converted a pair of free throws in the final 10 seconds to seal the win.
Texas returns to the court on Tuesday, Dec. 6, when it travels to New York City to face No. 16/17 Illinois as part of the Jimmy V Classic. Tip is set for 6 p.m. Central (7 p.m. Eastern) at Madison Square Garden, and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
#2/2 Texas 72, #7/7 Creighton 67
Big 12/BIG EAST Battle
December 1, 2022
Moody Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 10,896 (sellout)
Team Notes
- Texas recorded its first home win in an AP Top 10 matchup since No. 2 Texas posted a 79-68 win over No. 9 Michigan State on Dec. 22, 2009.
- UT registered its second home win against an AP Top 10 opponent this season. The Longhorns previously defeated No. 2 Gonzaga (93-74) on Nov. 16. This marks the first time Texas has beaten a pair of AP Top 10 opponents at home in one year since the 2015-16 season when UT claimed a trio of home wins against AP Top 10 opponents (No. 3 North Carolina, 84-82; No. 10 West Virginia, 85-78; and No. 3 Oklahoma, 76-63).
- This marked the fourth-consecutive sellout crowd in UT's first four contests in Moody Center.
- Tonight's victory marked the first win in four opportunities in the Big 12-BIG EAST Battle. The Longhorns entered tonight's contest with an 0-3 mark in previous Big 12-BIG EAST Battle games.
- Texas held Creighton to 67 points on 40.9-percent (27-66) FG shooting, including a 14.8-percent mark (4-27) from three-point range, on the night. This marked the lowest point total by the Bluejays this season (previous low: 76 vs. Texas Tech on Nov. 21). Creighton entered the game averaging 83.9 points per contest while converting 51.2-percent FG, including a 38.2-percent mark from three-point range.
- Texas posted 15 assists against just three turnovers as a team.
- The Longhorns claimed a 20-5 advantage in fast-break points and a 13-0 margin in bench scoring. Texas has recorded a 114-17 advantage in fast-break points through its first six games this season.
- The Longhorns limited the Bluejays to 27 points on 39.3-percent (11-28) FG shooting, including a 1-of-12 (.083) mark from three-point range, in the opening half while building a 32-27 halftime lead.
- The 27 points allowed in the first half marked the fewest point scored by Creighton in a half this season (previous: 30 in first half vs. Arizona).
- The first half featured 11 lead changes and six ties.
- Reached double figures in scoring (11 points) for the second time this season (6 games) and 95th time in his collegiate career (125 games)
- Set season highs in points (19) and rebounds (five) and tied his season high in FG made (7-20)
- Reached double figures in scoring (19 points) for the sixth time this season (6 games) and 91st time in his collegiate career (132 games)
- Also registered five assists without a turnover in 34 minutes played
- Converted a pair of free throws (in a one-and-one situation) with 4.0 seconds remaining to seal the victory
- Registered a team-best plus-minus total of plus-9 in 17 minutes played
- Reached double figures in scoring (15 points) for the sixth time this year (6 games) and the 26th time in his collegiate career (41 games)
- Tied his career high in scoring (10 points)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the third time in his career (6 games)
- Tied his collegiate high in blocked shots (two), set six times previously
