Tyrese Hunter made a game-winning layup on the buzzer to elevate Texas to a 75-73 win at dwelling vs. No. 9 Baylor on Saturday because the Longhorns secured a much-needed victory over a high quality opponent. Hunter’s heroics capped a tightly contested Huge 12 showdown that featured 21 lead modifications and 10 ties with neither staff ever main by greater than six within the second half.
Texas (13-5, 2-3 Huge 12) shot a scorching 9 of 11 from 3`-point vary within the first half earlier than counting on its protection down the stretch. Baylor (14-4, 3-2) didn’t make a shot from the sphere for greater than 9 minutes till Jalen Bridges tied the sport with 5.1 seconds remaining on a 3-pointer from the left wing.
As an alternative of calling a timeout after Bridges made the game-tying shot, Texas coach Rodney Terry allowed the ultimate play to occur organically. Hunter inbounded the ball to Dylan Disu, who promptly handed it again to Hunter as he started working full pace. Hunter made it into the paint and received the shot off with loads of time. After it rattled dwelling, the Longhorns mobbed him in celebration.
Hunter led the Longhorns with 21 factors on 8-of-13 taking pictures. Disu added 19 factors for Texas whereas Max Abmas scored 15. Ja’Kobe Walter led Baylor with 22, and Bridges added 17. The 2 are set to play once more at Baylor on March 4, however Saturday’s showdown marked Texas’ final dwelling recreation towards Baylor with the Bears as a Huge 12 foe.
Why it mattered a lot
Texas entered the day exterior the projected NCAA Match discipline, in keeping with CBS Sports activities Bracketology Skilled Jerry Palm, and a loss would have despatched the Longhorns careening even quicker towards the hazard zone after final season’s Elite Eight run.
The Longhorns stumbled out of the gate throughout some of the manageable parts of their league schedule. First, they fell at dwelling on Jan. 6 to a Texas Tech staff led by first-year coach Grant McCasland. Then, after a 74-73 win at league newcomer Cincinnati, Texas dropped consecutive video games towards West Virginia and UCF, each of whom are anticipated to be bottom-feeders within the league this season.
It was towards that backdrop that Texas entered Saturday’s recreation, which was the primary of six straight towards groups presently ranked within the AP High 25 ballot. Nothing comes straightforward within the Huge 12, and Texas did itself no favors over the previous couple weeks. Thus, the stakes have been excessive towards the Bears and can stay that was as UT braces itself for the pains of the nation’s hardest league.
Baylor’s Walter will get going
Walter’s 22 factors for Baylor marked his highest scoring output in a Huge 12 recreation to this point. The five-star freshman guard was simply 5 of twenty-two from the sphere and 1 of 10 from 3-point vary in his first two league street video games. He completed 5 of 12 from the ground and three of seven from 3-point vary towards the Longhorns. Walter additionally made 9-of-11 free throws, together with six late within the second half because the Bears struggled to seek out different sources of offense. It was a irritating finish for Baylor, however Walter’s efficiency was a constructive takeaway.
