The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
12-1,1-0Big 12
Oklahoma
9-4,0-1Big 12
No. 6/6 Men's Basketball wins 70-69 at Oklahoma
12.31.2022 | Men's Basketball
Rice scores all 11 of his points in the final 5:49 to lead the Longhorns in Big 12 Conference opener.
NORMAN, Okla. — Graduate guard Sir'Jabari Rice scored all 11 of his points in the final 5:49 to pace No. 6/6 Texas (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) to a 70-69 victory over Oklahoma (9-4, 0-1 Big 12) on Saturday afternoon at the Lloyd Noble Center. The Longhorns posted their fourth-consecutive victory in Norman and have won 24 of the last 36 meetings against the Sooners.
Rice, who was scoreless through the game's first 34 minutes, converted a season-best 7-of-7 from the free throw line (all in the final 2:07) and added seven rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Super senior Timmy Allen posted 13 points and seven boards (four offensive), two assists and two steals in 32 minutes, and graduate Marcus Carr registered 13 points (2-3 threes, 3-3 FT) and tied his career high with four steals in 36 minutes. Senior Dylan Disu added 10 points (4-5 FG, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and three blocks in 16 minutes.
Associate Head Coach Rodney Terry improved to 5-0 as acting head coach for the Longhorns. Texas converted 15-of-16 free throws on the afternoon, including a perfect 9-of-9 in the second half. The Longhorns registered a 27-5 margin in bench scoring.
The Sooners grabbed a 7-3 lead following a Sam Godwin follow-dunk at the 16:21 mark. After a Godwin layup gave Oklahoma an 11-7 advantage with 13:56 left, the Longhorns scored five straight points to take a 12-11 lead following a pair of Tyrese Hunter free throws at the 12:49 mark.
Texas increased its cushion to 23-18 after a Christian Bishop layup with 8:33 remaining. After a Brock Cunningham hook shot gave the Longhorns a 27-23 cushion at the 5:29 mark, the Sooners closed the half with a 12-4 spurt to build a 35-31 advantage at the break.
Oklahoma increased its cushion to 43-36 following a Tanner Groves put-back with 17:50 left. Texas responded with a 13-3 run over the next eight minutes to take a 49-46 lead after a Carr three-pointer at the 9:39 mark. The Sooners used back-to-back three-pointers from Jacob Groves to grab a 55-51 advantage with 7:35 remaining.
The Longhorns scored six straight points to take a 57-55 lead following a Rice turnaround jumper at the 4:39 mark. Oklahoma answered with a Jalen Hill three-pointer and a Grant Sherfield layup to build a 60-57 advantage with 2:31 left. Tied at 62-62 following a Sherfield jumper at the 1:07 mark, Carr gave the Longhorns the lead for good with a jumper in the lane with 48 seconds remaining.
Rice converted a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left and repeated the drill with 13 seconds left to give Texas a 68-64 lead. After a Tanner Groves put-back trimmed the deficit to 68-66 with four seconds left, Carr sealed the victory by hitting a pair of free throws with three seconds remaining.
Texas returns to action on Tuesday, Jan. 3 when it hosts Kansas State in its Big 12 Conference home opener. Tip is set for 8 p.m. Central at Moody Center, and the game will be televised nationally by Longhorn Network.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
#6/6 Texas 70, Oklahoma 69
December 31, 2022
Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, Okla.)
Attendance: 10,009
Team Notes
- Texas Associate Head Coach Rodney Terry served as acting head coach for the fifth straight game (5-0 record).
- The Longhorns improved to 12-1 on the year. This marks UT's first 12-1 start since the 2009-10 season, when Texas opened the year with 17-straight wins.
- Today's game marked UT's first true road contest of the season.
- The Longhorns improved to 18-9 in Big 12 Conference openers with the victory.
- Texas has won four-in-a-row, five of the last six and 24 of the last 36 meetings in the series against Oklahoma.
- The Longhorns have posted wins in each of their last four trips to Norman.
- Texas converted 15-of-16 (.938) free throws on the afternoon, including a perfect 9-of-9 mark in the second half.
- UT registered a 27-5 advantage in bench scoring.
- The Longhorns claimed a plus-11 (22-11) rebound margin in the second half, including an 11-4 advantage on the offensive glass. For the game, Texas posted a 33-31 rebound margin.
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the seventh time this season (13 games) and 100th time in his career (132 games)
- Added seven rebounds (four offensive), two assists without a turnover and two steals in 32 minutes
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the 11th time this year (13 games) and 96th time in his career (139 games)
- Tied his collegiate career high in steals (4)
- Posted a team-best plus-minus total of plus-10 in 18 minutes played
- Reached double figures in scoring (10 points) for the fourth time this season (12 games) and 33rd time in his career (87 games)
- Reached double digits in points for the first time since Nov. 21 vs. Northern Arizona
- Had multiple blocked shots (3) in a game for the fifth time this year
- Reached double figures in scoring (11 points) for the seventh time this year (13 games) and 65th time in his career (124 games)
- Scored all of his 11 points in the final 5:49 of the contest
- Set a season high in FT made (7-7)
- Added seven rebounds (three offensive) in 20 minutes
