Both Texas and Oklahoma are likely to secure spots in the NCAA Tournament. Both teams faced injury concerns with their respective leading scorers leading up to the game. Javian McCollum of Oklahoma suffered a shoulder injury, resulting in his absence in the game against Cincinnati. Meanwhile, Dylan Disu of Texas was dealing with injuries following their recent loss to Baylor. Fortunately, both McCollum and Disu were available for this crucial matchup. With postseason aspirations in mind, the Sooners aimed to secure a resume-boosting win on the road against Texas.
It was a slow start to the game for the Sooners as they began 0-6 from behind the arc, finding themselves trailing 14-8 with less than 12 minutes remaining in the first half. Seeking offensive solutions, the Sooners even turned to Maks Klanjscek. Texas managed to take an 18-10 lead, but the Sooners quickly responded with a run, tying the game 20-20.
The first half became a game of runs, and Texas capitalized on one to establish a 33-26 lead. Foul trouble for both Sam Godwin and Luke Northweather created issues for the Sooners. Despite these challenges and occasional offensive struggles, Oklahoma entered halftime trailing by just 40-35. Rivaldo Soares led the way for the Sooners with 12 points, while Milos Uzan contributed 9 points. Disu proved challenging for the Sooners, amassing 12 points for Texas.
The Longhorns kicked off the second half with a formidable 8-0 run, establishing a 48-35 lead with 17:59 left to play. By the 14:32 mark, they further extended their advantage to 56-40. The Longhorns continued to dominate, holding a commanding 61-42 lead with 13:39 remaining. The second half began on a discouraging note for the Sooners, struggling against Texas's strong performance.
The Longhorns maintained their momentum, leading 72-51 with 9:04 left on the clock. The Sooners faced significant challenges on the offensive end, struggling to generate scoring opportunities and failing to contain Texas. Despite a late push from Le’Tre Darthard, who scored six consecutive points to narrow the deficit to 74-61 with 7:00 left, the Longhorns proved resilient. Although the Sooners managed to reduce the lead to eleven points at one point, the Longhorns ultimately secured a 94-80 victory. This result moves the Sooners to a 20-11 regular-season record with an 8-10 conference play standing.
Here are two takeaways and some notes following the loss.
Takeaways
The Longhorns are a bad matchup for the Sooners
Texas dominated both encounters with Oklahoma, securing victories in this game and their previous matchup. The Longhorns capitalized on the Sooners' struggles with three-point shooting and turnovers, particularly in the early stages of each half.
Tyrese Hunter showcased an outstanding performance, achieving a career-high 30 points and contributing seven assists. Hunter's efficiency, shooting 9-13 from the field and 3-4 from beyond the arc, posed significant challenges for the Sooners. Additionally, Disu proved problematic for Oklahoma, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds.
Max Abmas, despite coming off a 33-point performance, was limited to 11 points in this game. Texas maintained control for the majority of the matchup, leading for 38 minutes and 18 seconds.
As the postseason approaches, it seems likely that Oklahoma's initial matchup in the Big 12 Tournament will be against Texas. Unless UCF manages to defeat TCU, the Sooners will face Texas once again, presenting a challenging scenario for them in the tournament.
Soares' ankle injury is the biggest storyline for Oklahoma
Soares, who equaled his career-high with 21 points, suffered a setback late in the second half when he reaggravated his ankle injury. Following his fall, Soares displayed visible and audible signs of pain. Unable to walk off the court unaided, he had to head to the locker room.
Soares has been dealing with a persistent ankle injury, and this recent exacerbation introduces uncertainty regarding his availability as the Sooners approach the postseason. The status of Soares looms as the most significant question mark for Oklahoma, and his presence or absence will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of the team's postseason journey.
Notes
- After a lackluster performance against Cincinnati, Uzan rebounded impressively, contributing 12 points and 7 assists in 33 minutes.
- Jalon Moore managed only 2 points in the first half but significantly improved in the second, tallying 14 points.
- Facing early challenges offensively, the Sooners initially turned to Klanjscek in the first half. Later in the half, they turned to Yaya Keita due to foul trouble.
- Despite a nagging shoulder injury, McCollum played 26 minutes, notching 5 points.
- Darthard continued his strong performance, reaching double figures for the third consecutive game with 10 points.
- The Sooners shot 28-60 (46.7%) from the field and 10-28 (35.7%) from behind the arc.
- Pending TCU beating UCF, the Sooners are poised for another matchup with Texas in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.
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