Texas men’s basketball secured its first-ever Southeastern Conference (SEC) victory, defeating Oklahoma 77-73 in a hard-fought game.
The Longhorns looked dominant early, heading into halftime with a 16-point lead. They extended that advantage to 23 points to start the second half. Fans at Oklahoma’s stadium, bored by the Sooners’ struggles, entertained themselves by tying balloons together to form a snake that wrapped around the arena. As the snake was completed, the crowd erupted in cheers, which seemed to energize the Sooners.
Oklahoma went on a 17-1 run over the next five minutes, cutting the deficit to a single possession. Texas, which had been playing well in the first half, made several turnovers, allowing the Sooners to close the gap.
Despite the momentum shift, Texas junior guard Jordan Pope took control of the game. He scored 13 consecutive points and finished the game with 27 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Pope was instrumental in Texas’s second-half offense, scoring 19 of the team’s 34 points.
Freshman guard Tre Johnson, who had 10 points in the first half, also contributed. He made a key jumper when Pope began to slow down. Johnson showed creativity on offense, including a play where he passed over a double team to Pope, who assisted graduate guard Tramon Mark for a three-pointer.
The game remained close in the final minutes, with Oklahoma closing the gap to within two possessions. Texas head coach Rodney Terry had praised Oklahoma’s shooting ability before the game, noting that they had a strong offensive team. Although Oklahoma made only five of 16 three-point attempts, four of those came in the second half.
Texas sealed the win with a last-minute play, as senior forward Arthur Kaluma threw a long pass to Mark, who made a basket to put the game out of reach.
With this win, Texas now has an SEC victory under its belt, while Oklahoma still looks for their first. The Longhorns will aim to add another win as they travel to face No. 5/4 Florida on January 18.
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