Texas knocked off Oklahoma State 82-79 for its first conference win of the season Wednesday night at the Frank Erwin Center. After trailing 39-37 at the break, the Longhorns put forth arguably their most impressive half of the season, fueled by two stellar performances from sophomore guards Tevin Mack and Eric Davis Jr.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair consisting of nine lead changes and five ties. Neither team led by more than five. The contest looked to be knotted up going into halftime, but an Oklahoma State buzzer beater put the Cowboys up by two at the break.
The second half remained close early on, with Oklahoma State holding a 50-46 lead with 16:07 remaining. But Texas would break the game open, erupting for a 15-0 run that would give the team a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Mack was pivotal during the run, scoring eight points in a two-minute span. Sophomore guard Kerwin Roach Jr. emerged as a key facilitator during the stretch, assisting on three of the team’s buckets.
The Cowboys would fight back, responding with a 7-0 run of their own. Oklahoma State would eventually pull within two with 6:57 remaining, tightening the game at 63-61.
But Davis squashed any possibility of a Cowboys comeback. He scored eight of the Longhorns’ next 10 points, knocking down two threes and helping Texas grab a 73-63 lead with 3:21 left in the game. The Burnt Orange would coast to a victory from that point on.
Mack scored a career-high 27 points, 16 of which came in the second half. He was lethal from behind the arc, nailing four of his seven shots from deep.
Davis awakened from his season long slumber. After managing only 14 points over his last four games, the sophomore scored 16 in the win, including 14 during the final frame. Davis came into the game shooting only 28 percent from the field but was a model of efficiency against the Cowboys, hitting five of his eight shots.
Roach finished the game with 11 points and six assists, while also contributing a pair of steals. Freshman guard Andrew Jones also finished the night in double figures, pitching in 10 points.
Freshman forward Jarrett Allen failed to score in double figures for the first time since Dec. 10 and struggled with his shot, managing only eight points on two for seven shooting.
The Longhorns will now look for their first winning streak since opening the season with three straight victories. Texas travels to Iowa State this Saturday, with tipoff set for 8:15 p.m.
