The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
7-1,0-0SEC
NC State
5-3,0-0ACC
Men's Basketball wins at NC State, 63-59
12.05.2024 | Men's Basketball
Johnson posts a team-high 18 points, while Kaluma ties his collegiate high with 16 boards in Wednesday’s victory.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Freshman guard Tre Johnson registered a game-high 18 points to pace Texas (7-1) to a 63-59 victory at NC State (5-3) on Wednesday night as part of the SEC-ACC Challenge at the Lenovo Center. The contest marked the first true 'road' game of the year for the Longhorns, and UT improved to 3-1 this season in games played away from Austin.
Johnson converted 7-of-15 field goals, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, in 35 minutes. His three-pointer with 1:43 left broke a 57-57 tie and put the Longhorns ahead for good.
Junior Jordan Pope posted 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 threes), three boards and two assists in 32 minutes, and graduate Tramon Mark added 10 points, two assists and two steals in 22 minutes. Senior Arthur Kaluma tied his collegiate career high with 16 rebounds, as he previously grabbed 16 boards when he played for Creighton in a game at UConn on Jan. 7, 2023.
Texas jumped out to a 9-0 lead following a Johnson jumper at the 17:58 mark. The Longhorns increased their advantage to 15-6 after a Mark three-pointer with 15:36 remaining, but NC State used a 7-0 spurt over the next three minutes to trim the margin to 15-13 following a Dontrez Styles three-pointer at the 12:41 mark.
A Chendall Weaver dunk gave the Longhorns a 24-21 advantage with 8:04 left, but the Wolf Pack scored four straight points to grab a 25-24 cushion following a Jayden Taylor layup at the 7:01 mark. NC State took a 30-28 advantage after a Marcus Hill three-pointer with 4:12 remaining, before Johnson scored five straight points to give Texas a 33-30 cushion at the 3:22 mark. The Wolf Pack used a Michael O'Connell free throw with 1:13 left to close the deficit to 33-31 at the half.
Texas increased its cushion to 38-33 following a Mark dunk at the 17:01 mark, but NC State answered with a 6-0 spurt over the next 63 seconds to take a 39-38 lead after a Brandon Huntley-Hatfield three-point play with 15:58 remaining. The Longhorns took a 46-44 advantage following a Kaluma layup at the 12:15 mark, before the Wolf Pack used a 7-1 run over the next three minutes to build a 51-47 cushion with 9:32 left. Texas rallied to tie the contest at 55-55 on a Johnson three-pointer at the 4:48 mark.
After a Hill layup gave NC State a 57-55 edge with 3:58 left, the Longhorns used a Pope mid-range jumper and a Johnson three-pointer to grab a 60-57 advantage at the 1:43 mark. A Styles layup cut the margin to 60-59 with 1:20 left, before Weaver hit 1-of-2 free throws to give Texas a 61-59 cushion with 59 seconds remaining.
The Wolf Pack had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds. Kadin Shedrick blocked a jumper in the lane by Jayden Taylor with four seconds left, and Kaluma grabbed the rebound and found Weaver for a breakaway dunk just before the buzzer to close out the scoring.
The Longhorns are back on the court when they host No. 25/nr UConn on Sunday, Dec. 8. Tip is set for 4 p.m. Central at Moody Center, and the contest will be televised nationally by ESPN.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas 63, NC State 59
SEC-ACC Challenge
December 4, 2024
Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.)
Attendance: 13,396
Team Notes
- This marked Texas' first true 'road' contest of the season.
- The Longhorns improved to 3-1 this year in games played away from Austin.
- Texas improved to 3-2 all-time against NC State.
- The Longhorns converted 47.1-percent (8-of-17) from three-point range on the night.
- UT recorded a 37-30 (+7) rebound margin during the contest, including a 23-12 (+11) advantage in the second half.
- Texas converted 50-percent (13-26) from the floor, including a 3-of-7 (.429) mark from three-point range, in the opening 20 minutes while building a 33-31 halftime advantage.
- Reached double figures in scoring (game-high 18 points) for the eighth time in his career (8 games)
- Has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in each of his first eight collegiate contests
- Tied his collegiate career high in rebounds (16), also had 16 when he played at Creighton in a game at UConn on Jan. 7, 2023
- Reached double figures in rebounds for the third time this season (8 games) and the 12th time in his career (109 games)
- Did not play (right wrist)
- Reached double figures in scoring (10 points) for the second time this year (4 games) and 60th time in his career (111 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring (13 points) for the third time this season (8 games) and 57th time in his career (72 games)
- Posted a team-best plus-minus total of plus-10 in 32 minutes
- Posted two blocked shots in 33 minutes of action, including the game-clinching block with four seconds left in the contest
- Has recorded multiple blocks in six of his first eight games this year
