The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Pope named SEC Men’s Basketball Co-Player of the Week
12.23.2024 | Men's Basketball
Junior guard registered a Moody Center single-game record with a career-high 42 points against New Orleans.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — University of Texas junior guard Jordan Pope has been named the Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. Pope, who notched his first career weekly league honor, shared the accolade with South Carolina's Collin Murray-Boyles.
In UT's only game last week, a 98-62 home win against New Orleans on Thursday (Dec. 19), Pope set a Moody Center single-game scoring record with a career-best 42 points. He converted 15-of-21 field goals, including 8-of-12 from three-point range, and 4-of-5 free throws while adding two rebounds and one steal in 33 minutes. Pope set career highs in points, field goals made and three-point field goals made.
He topped the previous Moody Center individual scoring mark of 41 points, set by Texas' Marcus Carr against Texas A&M-Commerce on Dec. 27, 2022. The 42 points are tied for the seventh most by a Texas player in program history and are the most points scored since Reggie Freeman had 43 during a home win against Fresno State on Dec. 14, 1996. The 42 points also are the fourth most in a home game by a Texas player in program history.
Pope's eight 3-pointers made were two shy of the UT single-game record (10, shared by Marcus Carr in 2022 and Al Coleman in 1997). Pope went 6-of-8 from three-point range in the second half, and his six 3-pointers made are tied for the second most in a half in program history (since 1986-87). Pope's previous collegiate career high in scoring was 31, set while playing for Oregon State in a home game against Arizona on Jan. 25, 2024.
Through the first 12 games (12 starts) this season, Pope leads the team in steals (15) and ranks second in assists (28, 2.3 apg) and third in scoring (11.7 ppg) in 24.0 mpg. He has registered an impressive 4.67 assist-to-turnover ratio (28 assists, six turnovers) this year.
Texas (10-2) returns to action when it hosts Northwestern State on Sunday, Dec. 29. Tip is scheduled for 11 a.m. Central at Moody Center, and the contest will be streamed nationally by SEC Network+.
