The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
20-11,9-9Big 12
Oklahoma
20-11,8-10Big 12
Men's Basketball defeats Oklahoma, 94-80
03.09.2024 | Men's Basketball
Hunter records a career-high 30 points to pace the Longhorns on Senior Day.
AUSTIN, Texas — Junior guard Tyrese Hunter posted a career-high 30 points to lead Texas (20-11, 9-9 Big 12) to a 94-80 victory over Oklahoma (20-11, 8-10 Big 12) on Saturday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd in Moody Center. The Longhorns notched their seventh consecutive win against the Sooners and completed their third-straight regular season sweep of Oklahoma.
The contest marked Senior Day for a quartet of Longhorn players, including Max Abmas, Brock Cunningham, Dylan Disu and Ithiel Horton, who were honored during a pre-game ceremony. Hunter converted 9-of-13 field goals, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, and 9-of-9 free throws while adding seven assists and three steals in 37 minutes. He tied his career highs in field goals made and free throws made and tied his season high in assists.
Disu recorded 16 points (5-8 FG, 1-2 threes, 5-6 FT) and added a team-high six rebounds and one blocked shot in 25 minutes. Sophomore forward Dillon Mitchell tallied 14 points (5-7 FG, 4-4 FT) and two assists in 22 minutes, while Abmas registered 11 points, three assists and two steals in 35 minutes.
Texas posted its second-highest point total of the season (96 vs. LSU on Dec. 16). The Longhorns recorded team season highs in field goal percentage (.635, 33-52) and free throw percentage (.957, 22-23).
After a Milos Uzan jumper pulled Oklahoma to within 5-4 at the 17:40 mark, the Longhorns scored five straight points to take a 10-4 advantage following a Disu three-pointer with 15:12 remaining. Texas increased its cushion to 18-10 after a Mitchell dunk in transition at the 9:19 mark, but the Sooners answered with a 10-2 spurt over the next three minutes to even the score at 20-20 following a Rivaldo Soares layup with 6:29 left.
Oklahoma trimmed the deficit to 27-26 after a Soares' three-pointer at the 4:30 mark, before the Longhorns scored six straight points to build a 33-26 advantage following a Chendall Weaver layup with 2:35 left. Texas pushed its cushion to 40-32 after a Weaver three-point play with 36 seconds remaining, but a Javian McCollum three-pointer pulled the Sooners to within 40-35 at the break.
Texas scored the first eight points of the second half to take a 48-35 advantage after a Hunter jumper at the 18:02 mark. The Sooners cut the deficit to 50-40 following a Soares three-pointer with 16:32 left, before the Longhorns answered with an 11-2 run over the next three minutes to build a 61-42 cushion after a Hunter three-pointer at the 13:42 mark.
Texas increased the advantage to 21 points (74-53) following an Abmas layup with 8:32 remaining, before Oklahoma used a 14-4 spurt over the next two-and-a-half minutes to trim the margin to 78-67 after a Jalon Moore three-pointer at the 5:58 mark. That was as close as the Sooners would get the rest of the way. The Longhorns converted 73.1-percent (19-26) from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, and a perfect 12-of-12 free throws in the second half to secure the win.
Texas will next compete at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on March 12-16 (Tuesday-Saturday) in Kansas City. The official tournament bracket will be announced later today.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas 94, Oklahoma 80
March 9, 2024
Moody Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 11,073 (sellout)
Team Notes
- Texas has now won seven straight and eight of the last nine meetings against the Sooners.
- The Longhorns completed their third-straight regular-season series sweep of Oklahoma. UT claimed a 75-60 win in Norman earlier this year (Jan. 23).
- Texas improved to 30-5 all-time in games played in Moody Center, including a 14-4 mark in 2023-24.
- UT recorded team season highs in field goal percentage (.635, 33-52) and free throw percentage (.957, 22-23).
- The 94 points scored by Texas marked the second-highest point total of the season for the Longhorns (96 vs. LSU in Houston on Dec. 16).
- The Longhorns registered 18 assists (on 33 made field goals) against just 10 turnovers.
- Texas posted a 50-34 advantage in points in the paint, a 25-8 margin in fast-break points, a 21-8 advantage in points off turnovers and a 31-20 margin in bench scoring.
- The Longhorns recorded 10 steals on the afternoon, marking the ninth time this season that Texas has reached double digits in steals.
- In the second half, Texas scored 54 points while converting 73.1-percent (19-26) from the floor, including a 4-of-5 mark from three-point range, and a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line.
- Reached double figures in scoring (11 points) for the 28th time this year (31 games) and 140th time in his career (154 games)
- Tied the UT record for most career games played (144), shares with A.J. Abrams (2006-09)
- Tied the UT record for most career wins (109), shares with A.J. Abrams and Connor Atchley (2006-09)
- Tied his collegiate career high in assists (6) and did not commit a turnover (also had 6 at Marquette on Dec. 6, 2023)
- Registered a team-best plus-minus total of plus-23 in 21 minutes
- Reached double figures in scoring (16 points) for the 16th time this year (22 games) and 62nd time in his career (133 games)
- Set his career high in scoring (30 points), previous: 29 vs. K-State (Jan. 3, 2023)
- Tied his career high in field goals made (9-13)
- Tied his career high in free throws made (9-9)
- Tied his season high in assists (7)
- Topped the 20-point mark for the fourth time this season (30 games) and 10th time in his career (103 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 18th time this year and 58th time in his career
- Reached double figures in scoring (14 points) for the 16th time this year (31 games) and 22nd time in his career (69 games)
