The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
25-8,12-6Big 12
TCU
21-12,9-9Big 12
No. 7/7 Men's Basketball defeats No. 22/23 TCU, 66-60
03.11.2023 | Men's Basketball
Bishop and Disu both record 15 points to help the Longhorns advance to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship final.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Super senior forward Christian Bishop and senior forward Dylan Disu both recorded 15 points to lead No. 7/7 Texas (25-8) to a 66-60 victory against No. 22/23 TCU (21-12) in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship semifinals on Friday night in T-Mobile Center. With the win, the Longhorns advance to the championship game against No. 3/4 Kansas on Saturday at 5 p.m. Central (ESPN).
Texas tied a school single-season record with its eighth victory against an AP Top 25 opponent, as the Longhorns improved to 8-6 against AP Top 25 teams this year. UT went 8-5 against AP-ranked foes in 2003-04. The Longhorns, who recorded their 13th Quad 1 victory of the season (second-most nationally), won their 25th game of the 2022-23 season. This marks the first time UT has reached 25 victories in a year since the 2010-11 season (28-8).
Bishop converted 5-of-9 field goals and a season-high 5-of-6 free throws while adding seven rebounds (four offensive) and three blocks in a season-best 27 minutes. Disu, who recorded his first double-double of the year in Thursday's quarterfinal win against Oklahoma State, connected on 6-of-7 field goals and 3-of-4 free throws and added a team-high eight rebounds and two blocks in 23 minutes. Graduate Marcus Carr posted 10 points, four rebounds, three assists against one turnover and set a collegiate career high with five steals in 37 minutes.
A Rondel Walker layup trimmed UT's lead to 10-9 at the 11:43 mark, before the Longhorns scored back-to-back baskets to build a 14-9 advantage following a Brock Cunningham jumper with 10:45 remaining. TCU closed the margin to 17-16 after a Chuck O'Bannon three-pointer at the 8:53 mark.
After a Jakobe Coles free throw cut the deficit to 25-23 with 4:57 remaining, Texas closed the half on a 9-3 spurt to take a 34-26 lead into the break. The Longhorns posted a 21-13 margin on the glass and a 28-12 edge in points in the paint in the opening 20 minutes.
Texas grabbed a 44-36 advantage following a Bishop follow-dunk at the 14:24 mark. The Horned Frogs responded with an 8-2 run over the next two-and-a-half minutes to trim the lead to 46-44 after a Damion Baugh free throw with 11:50 left. The Longhorns scored seven-straight points over the next three minutes to build a 53-44 cushion following a pair of Bishop free throws at the 9:01 mark.
A Cunningham jumper gave Texas a 57-50 advantage with 5:58 remaining, but a Mike Miles three-pointer cut the lead to 60-56 at the 4:47 mark. A Carr layup extended UT's cushion to 62-56 with 2:02 left, and TCU could not get closer than four points the rest of the way.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
#7/7 Texas 66, #22/23 TCU 60
Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Semifinals
March 10, 2023
T-Mobile Center (Kansas City, Mo.)
Attendance: 19,135 (sellout)
Team Notes
- UT improved to 18-7 under the leadership of Interim Head Coach Rodney Terry this season.
- The Longhorns improved to 13-8 in Quad 1 games this season. The 13 Quad 1 wins are the second-most nationally (Kansas is 17-6).
- Texas tied a school single-season record with its eighth victory against an AP Top 25 opponent. The Longhorns improved to 8-6 against AP Top 25 teams this year. UT went 8-5 against AP Top 25 opponents during the 2003-04 season.
- The Longhorns won their 25th game of the 2022-23 season. This marks the first time UT has reached 25 wins in a year since the 2010-11 season (28-8).
- Texas improved to 51-43 all-time in league postseason tournament games, including a 30-24 mark in its 26 trips to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship.
- The Longhorns have now reached the finals of their league postseason tournament 13 times in their last 32 appearances, including their eighth time in the Big 12 (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2021 and 2023).
- The Longhorns improved to 18-0 this year when leading at the half.
- UT has won nine of the last 11 and 26 of the last 35 meetings against the Horned Frogs.
- Texas limited TCU to 60 points on 35.6-percent (21-59) field goal shooting, including a 31.3-percent (10-32) mark in the second half.
- UT tallied 11 steals on the night for the second-straight contest. The total was one shy of the team season high (12, twice) and 10th time that Texas has reached double digits in steals this year.
- Texas recorded eight blocked shots during the contest. The total was one shy of the team season high (9, twice).
- The Longhorns posted a 42-22 margin in points in the paint.
- Did not play due to a right lower leg injury (status is day-to-day moving forward)
- Reached double figures in scoring (team-high 15 points) for the sixth time this year (33 games) and 56th time in his career (157 games)
- His 15 points were one shy of his season high (16 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 10)
- Set a season high in free throws made (5-6), previous: 4, twice
- Set a season high in minutes (27), previous: 26 at K-State (Feb. 4)
- Converted 5-of-9 field goals and added seven boards (four offensive) and three blocked shots (one shy of his season high)
- Set his collegiate career high in steals (5), previous: 4, six times
- Reached double figures in scoring (10 points) for the 29th time this year (33 games) and 114th time in his career (159 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring (team-high 15 points) for the 14th time this year (32 games) and 43rd time in his career (107 games)
- Converted 6-of-7 field goals and 3-of-4 free throws and added a team-high eight rebounds and two blocks in 23 minutes
- In 12 minutes of action in the first half, he registered 12 points (6-7 FG), three rebounds, one assist, one blocked shot and one steal
- Recorded a team-best plus-minus total of plus-8 in 14 minutes of action
- Tied his collegiate career high in steals (3) and blocked shots (2)
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