The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
9-4,0-0SEC
Maryland Eastern Shore
4-13,0-0MEAC
Men's Basketball defeats Maryland Eastern Shore, 94-71
12.22.2025 | Men's Basketball
Vokietaitis posts a game-high 22 points and sets a school record for most free throws attempted in a half (17).
AUSTIN, Texas — Sophomore center Matas Vokietaitis recorded a game-high 22 points and set a school record for most free throws attempted in a half (17) to lead Texas (9-4) to a 94-71 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore (4-13) on Monday evening in Moody Center. The Longhorns set team season highs in both free throws made (31) and free throws attempted (42) during the win.
Vokietaitis tied his career high for most free throws made by converting 14-of-21 from the stripe on the night. In the second half, he made 13-of-17 free throw attempts. The 17 free throw attempts marked the most in a half in program history (since 1965-66), topping the previous record of 16 set by Joey Wright against Rice in the second half on Jan. 27, 1990. Vokietaitis' 13 made free throws were the second-most in school history (since 1965-66) and just one shy of the record (14) set by Wright in that same second half against Rice on Jan. 27, 1990.
Senior Jordan Pope posted 21 points (7-12 FG, 5-9 threes, 2-2 FT) in 33 minutes, and graduate Tramon Mark tallied 17 points (6-11 FG, 5-5 FT), two assists and two steals in 31 minutes. Junior Dailyn Swain added his second double-double of the season with 14 points (4-8 FG, 6-7 FT) and tied his career high with 10 rebounds to go along with four assists and four steals in 35 minutes.
The Longhorns scored the game's first four points and jumped out to a 14-6 advantage following a Pope three-pointer at the 14:16 mark. UMES answered with a 6-0 spurt to close to within 14-12 after a Justin Monden jumper with 11:30 left, before Texas responded with a 15-6 run over the next three-plus minutes to build a 29-18 cushion following another Pope three-pointer at the 8:18 mark.
The Hawks used a 10-3 spurt over the next three-plus minutes to trim the margin to 32-28 after a Jaden Cooper three-pointer with 4:58 remaining. The Longhorns pushed their advantage to 40-31 following a Simeon Wilcher jumper at the 1:19 mark, before UMES used a Joseph Locandro three-pointer with 27 seconds left to cut the deficit to 40-34 at the break.
The Hawks scored the opening basket of the second half on a Locandro layup to close to within 40-36 at the 19:49 mark, before Texas went on an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to build a 48-36 cushion following a pair of Vokietaitis free throws with 17:34 remaining. The Longhorns took a 60-44 lead after a pair of Wilcher free throws at the 13:10 mark.
UMES trimmed the deficit to 64-51 following a Zion Obania dunk with 9:56 left, but that was as close as the Hawks would get for the remainder of the contest. Texas responded with an 8-0 spurt over the next two minutes to grab a 72-51 advantage after a Vokietaitis free throw at the 7:45 mark. The margin stayed above 20 points for the final five minutes of the contest.
Texas will take a break for the Christmas holidays and return to action when it hosts Mississippi State in its SEC opener on Saturday, Jan 3. Tip is slated for 5 p.m. Central in Moody Center, and the game will be televised nationally by SEC Network.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas 94, Maryland Eastern Shore 71
December 22, 2025
Moody Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 10,888
Team Notes
- This marked the first meeting in men's basketball between Texas and UMES.
- The Longhorns improved to 7-1 this season in home games and 48-13 all-time in games played in Moody Center.
- Texas improved to 32-2 all-time in non-conference games in Moody Center.
- Texas topped the 90-point mark for the sixth time in its first eight home games this year.
- UT led from start-to-finish for the sixth time in its first 13 contests this year.
- The Longhorns set team season highs in free throws made (31) and free throws attempted (42)
- Texas converted 52.8-percent (28-53) from the field during the contest. This marked the ninth time in the first 13 games that UT has hit at least 50-percent from the floor.
- The Longhorns posted a +13 rebound margin (37-24), including a 12-7 advantage on the offensive glass. Texas has now outrebounded all 13 of its opponents this season. The Longhorns have reached double figures in offensive rebounds in 10 of their first 13 games.
- In the second, UT converted 25-of-33 (.758) from the free throw line. The 33 attempts were just one shy of tying the school record (dating back to the 1965-66 season) for most free throws attempted in a half. The Longhorns have attempted 34 free throws in a single half three times previously (34 vs. North Texas in 2nd half on Feb. 13, 1982; 34 vs. Baylor in 2nd half on March 7, 1991; 34 at Baylor in 2nd half on Feb. 6, 1991).
- The Longhorns tallied a 20-11 advantage in fast-break points and a 16-7 margin in points off turnovers.
- Reached double figures in scoring (17 points) for the seventh time this year (13 games) and 81st time in his career (149 games)
- Topped the 20-point mark (21 points) for the second time this season (13 games) and 18th time in his career (112 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 11th time this year and 82nd time in his career
- Recorded a team-best plus-minus total of plus-28 in 33 minutes
- Recorded a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) for the second time this year (13 games) and fifth time in his career (76 career)
- Tied his career high in rebounds
- Tied his season high in steals (4)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 12th time this year and 37th time in his career
- Reached double digits in rebounds for the second time this season and fifth time in his career
- Set a Texas program record (dating back to 1965-66) for most free throws attempted in a half, as he hit 13-of-17 in the second half. The previous mark was 16 attempts by Joey Wright vs. Rice in the second half on Jan. 27, 1990.
- His 13 made free throws in the second half were just one shy of the school record (dating back to 1965-66) for most free throws made in a half. The record is 14 by Joey Wright vs. Rice in the second half on Jan. 27, 1990.
- Topped the 20-point mark (game-high 22 points) for the third time this year (13 games) and fifth time in his career (47 games)
- Tied his career high in free throws made (14-of-21), also made 14-of-14 vs. Southern earlier this year (Dec. 8)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 11th time this year and 29th time in his career
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