The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
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Kansas
No. 20/20 Men's Basketball defeats No. 8/8 Kansas, 79-76
02.08.2022 | Men's Basketball
Allen posts a season-best 24 points to lead the Longhorns to their third-straight home win against a ranked opponent.
AUSTIN, Texas — Senior Timmy Allen recorded a season-high 24 points to lead No. 20/20 Texas (18-6, 7-4 Big 12) to a thrilling 79-76 victory against No. 8/8 Kansas (19-4, 8-2 Big 12) on Monday night at the Frank Erwin Center. This marked UT's third-consecutive home win over a ranked opponent, as the Longhorns had previously defeated No. 18/20 Tennessee and No. 20/22 Iowa State.
Allen converted 11-of-17 field goals and grabbed nine rebounds in 30 minutes, and junior Tre Mitchell posted 17 points while hitting 8-of-8 free throws in 22 minutes. Senior Marcus Carr tallied 10 points and four assists without a turnover in 34 minutes, and senior Andrew Jones added 10 points and two steals in 18 minutes.
Senior Christian Bishop recorded a season-high 10 rebounds, including a season-best seven on the offensive glass, in 26 minutes. Senior Courtney Ramey had primary defensive responsibility on Kansas' leading scorer Ochai Agbaji, who entered the game averaging 20.8 ppg. Ramey limited Agbaji to 11 points while hitting 4-of-7 field goals (1-of-3 threes) and no assists with three turnovers in 38 minutes.
The Longhorns committed just seven turnovers on the night and recorded a 24-6 advantage in points off turnovers. The Jayhawks hit 58.3-percent from the floor (28-48), including a 64-percent mark (16-25) in the second half, but UT forced 15 Kansas turnovers on the night and registered a 15-6 edge on the offensive glass.
After a pair of Bishop free throws cut an early Kansas lead to 11-10 at the 13:40 mark, the Jayhawks used a 7-1 spurt to build an 18-11 cushion following two free throws by Jalen Wilson with 11:43 left. Texas answered with a 10-0 run over the next three-plus minutes to grab a 21-18 advantage after a Jase Febres layup at the 8:27 mark.
Leading 25-24 with 7:11 remaining, the Longhorns scored six straight points to increase their cushion to 31-24 following a pair of Mitchell free throws at the 5:46 mark. The Jayhawks rallied to even the score at 35-35 after a pair of Wilson free throws with 57 seconds left, but Texas scored the final five points of the half capped by a Carr running three-pointer at the buzzer to take a 40-35 lead into the break. Mitchell had 12 points while hitting 8-of-8 free throws in the first half to pace the Longhorns.
The second half proved to be a closely contested affair, as neither team led by more than five points in the final 20 minutes. An Allen jumper gave the Longhorns a 60-58 advantage at the 10:14 mark, but Kansas responded with a 9-2 spurt over the next two minutes to grab a 67-62 lead following a David McCormack layup with 8:04 remaining.
An Allen layup tied the score at 72-72 with 2:33 left, before the Jayhawks used a McCormack hook shot and an Agbaji put-back to take a 76-72 advantage at the 1:09 mark. Mitchell banked in a three-pointer with 55 seconds left on UT's next possession to trim the margin to 76-75. After a Kansas turnover, Allen hit a jumper from the foul line with 21 seconds remaining to give Texas a 77-76 lead.
Texas forced a stop on Kansas' next possession, and Carr was fouled and converted a pair of free throws with six seconds left to increase the cushion to 79-76. Texas fouled the Jayhawks with 2.6 seconds left, Kansas missed both free throws and the Longhorns grabbed the rebound to seal the win.
Texas returns to action when it travels to face No. 10/10 Baylor on Saturday, Feb. 12. Tip is set for 11 a.m. Central at the Ferrell Center, and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN2.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
#20/20 Texas 79, #8/8 Kansas 76
February 7, 2022
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 14,668
Team Notes
- Texas has now won three straight games against the Jayhawks dating back to the 2019-20 season. UT swept the two-game regular-season series last year.
- Monday's contest marked the fourth-consecutive game that the Longhorns have faced a ranked opponent. UT is 3-1 in this stretch with wins against No. 18/20 Tennessee, No. 20/22 Iowa State and No. 8/8 Kansas.
- Texas recorded a 24-6 advantage in points off turnovers and a 32-10 margin in bench scoring.
- UT converted 20-of-23 from the free throw line (.870) on the night.
- The Longhorns committed just seven turnovers during the win, marking the second-fewest number of turnovers in a game by Texas this year (six at K-State on Jan. 4).
- The game featured 12 ties and six lead changes.
- This marked the first win of the year for Texas when it allowed more than 60 points.
- Texas improved to 548-141 all-time in the Frank Erwin Center. The Longhorns are 276-58 at the Erwin Center in the last 20 seasons (dating to the start of the 2002-03 season), including a 14-1 mark in 2021-22.
- Texas registered a 17-0 advantage in points off turnovers in the first half.
- The Longhorns committed just three turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
- UT converted 13-of-15 free throws (.867) in the first half.
- The Longhorns tallied a 25-5 margin in bench scoring in the opening 20 minutes.
- Posted season highs in points (24) and field goals made (11-17)
- Topped the 20-point mark for the first time at Texas (24 games) and 23rd time in his career (109 games)
- Reached double digits in scoring for the 16th time this year and 87th in his career
- Posted a team-best plus-minus total of plus-16 in 30 minutes and grabbed nine rebounds (three offensive)
- Set his season high in rebounds (10), including a season-best seven offensive boards
- Reached double digits in rebounds for the first time at Texas (24 games) and eighth in his career (114 games)
- Reached double digits in scoring (10 points) for the 15th time this year (24 games) and 79th in his career (116 games)
- Converted a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining to push the lead to 79-76
- Posted four assists without a turnover in 34 minutes played
- Reached double digits in scoring (10 points) for the 13th time this year (23 games) and 78th in his career (125 games)
- Reached double digits in scoring (17 points) for the second time in Big 12 play (10 games), ninth time this year (23 games) and 50th in his career (67 games)
- Has now recorded 999 points in his collegiate career
- Set a season high in free throws made (8-8), previous: four (three times)
- Posted 12 points (8-8 FT) in 12 minutes during the first half
- Had primary defensive responsibility on Kansas' leading scorer Ochai Agbaji (entered the game averaging 20.8 ppg) and limited Agbaji to 11 points (4-7 FG, 1-3 threes) and no assists while forcing three turnovers in 38 minutes
