The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
11-2,0-0SEC
Northwestern State
5-7,2-0Southland
Men's Basketball tops Northwestern State, 77-53
12.29.2024 | Men's Basketball
Johnson posts a team-high 18 points and Kent reaches the 1,000-point mark in Sunday’s home win.
AUSTIN, Texas — Freshman guard Tre Johnson recorded a team-high 18 points to lead Texas (11-2) to a 77-53 victory over Northwestern State (5-7) on Sunday afternoon in Moody Center. The Longhorns led from start-to-finish for the fourth-straight game and the seventh time in their first 13 contests this season.
Johnson, who had missed the previous two games with a right hip injury, converted 7-of-11 field goals, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, tied a season high with four assists and added four rebounds in 22 minutes. Junior Jordan Pope recorded 11 points (3-8 threes) in 28 minutes, and senior Arthur Kaluma posted a game-high 13 rebounds, five points and two blocked shots in 24 minutes.
Graduate Jayson Kent, who had missed the previous eight contests with a right wrist injury, returned to the court and registered nine points (3-4 FG, 1-2 threes, 2-2 FT) in 18 minutes. With his free throw at the 5:31 mark of the second half, Kent reached the 1,000-point mark in his collegiate career and has now recorded 1,004 points in 129 career games. Kent became the fifth current Longhorn to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau, joining Kaluma, Tramon Mark, Pope and Julian Larry.
On the afternoon, Texas converted 50.0-percent (27-54) from the floor, including a 44.0- percent mark (11-25) from three-point range, and 12-of-15 (.800) free throws. The Longhorns limited Northwestern State just 53 points on 38.2-percent (21-55) from the floor, including a 17.6-percent mark (3-17) from three-point range. Texas also recorded a plus-16 (42-26) rebound margin during the victory.
Texas jumped out to an 8-0 lead following a Mark three-pointer at the 16:45 mark. After a Kaluma layup gave the Longhorns a 10-3 advantage with 15:17 left, the Demons responded with a 6-0 spurt over the next three minutes to pull to within 10-9 following an Addison Patterson layup at the 12:43 mark. After another Patterson layup closed the gap to 12-11 with 10:15 remaining, Texas answered with five-straight points to build a 17-11 lead following a Johnson jumper at the 8:33 mark.
A Jerald Colonel jumper trimmed the margin to 21-15 with 6:21 left, before the Longhorns used a 9-0 run over the next two-plus minutes to increase their cushion to 30-15 after another Johnson jumper at the 4:02 mark. A Jon Sanders free throw cut the deficit to 32-18 with 2:48 remaining, and Texas closed the half with a 9-4 spurt to take a 41-22 advantage into the break.
The Longhorns scored the first eight points of the second half to build a 49-22 advantage following a Kaluma three-pointer at the 15:50 mark. Texas increased the margin to 30 points (56-26) after a Chendall Weaver dunk with 13:50 left. The Demons were unable to get closer than 21 points for the remainder of the contest.
Texas returns to the court when it opens Southeastern Conference play at No. 13/13 Texas A&M on Saturday, Jan. 4. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central at Reed Arena, and the contest will be televised nationally by SEC Network.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas 77, Northwestern State 53
December 29, 2024
Moody Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 10,565
Team Notes
- Texas improved to 8-1 in home games this season and 38-6 all-time in games played in Moody Center.
- UT led from start-to-finish for the fourth-straight game and the seventh time in its opening 13 contests this season.
- The Longhorns converted 50.0-percent (27-54) from the floor, including a 44.0-percent mark (11-25) from three-point range, on the afternoon. This marked the eighth time in the first 13 games that Texas has shot at least 50-percent from the floor.
- Texas registered a +16 (42-26) rebound margin during the victory.
- The Longhorns held Northwestern State to 53 points on 38.2-percent (21-55) shooting from the floor, including a 17.6-percent mark (3-17) from three-point range, on the afternoon.
- Six UT players scored at least seven points during the win.
- Texas converted 62.5-percent (15-24) from the floor, including 50-percent (6-12) from three-point range, and a perfect 5-of-5 free throws in the opening 20 minutes while building a 41-22 halftime cushion.
- The Longhorns held the Demons to 22 points on 30-percent (9-30) from the floor, including a 1-of-10 (.100) mark from three-point range, in the first half.
- All nine Texas players who saw action in the first half scored and made at least one field goal.
- Reached double figures in scoring (team-high 18 points) for the 10th time in his career (11 games)
- Tied his season high in assists (4)
- Saw his first game action since Dec. 12 vs. New Mexico State (missed the previous two games with a right hip injury)
- Reached double digits in rebounds (13) for the fifth time this year (13 games) and 14th time in his career (114 games)
- With his made free throw at the 5:31 mark of the second half, he reached the 1,000-point mark in his collegiate career
- Has registered 1,004 points in 129 career contests
- Saw his first game action since Nov. 16 vs. Mississippi Valley State (missed the previous eight games with a right wrist injury)
- Reached double figures in scoring (11 points) for the seventh time this season (13 games) and 61st time in his career (77 games)
- Posted two blocked shots in 24 minutes
- Has recorded multiple blocks in 10 of his first 13 games this year
- Registered a team-best plus-minus total of plus-24 on the afternoon
