AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Longhorns suffered a heartbreaking 88-85 overtime defeat to the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night at Moody Center, despite a career performance from senior guard Jordan Pope. The loss concludes the regular season for Texas (18-13, 9-9 SEC) and secures their No. 10 seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament in Nashville.
Pope delivered a season-high 30 points, adding a season-best six rebounds, and converting 7-of-18 from three-point range while going a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line in a career-high 41 minutes. Despite Pope’s stellar showing, Oklahoma’s late-game execution proved decisive, sending the Longhorns to a first-round matchup against No. 15 seed Ole Miss on Wednesday, March 11, at 6 p.m. Central (7 p.m. Eastern) on SEC Network.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, featuring 11 ties and 10 lead changes. Texas battled back from a 12-point deficit in the second half, closing the period on a 20-8 run to force overtime after Pope was fouled shooting a three-pointer with just 3.5 seconds remaining and calmly sank all three free throws.
“It was a tough game, a real battle,” said a team spokesperson after the game. “We fought hard, but Oklahoma made the plays they needed to at the end.”
Pope’s Performance Not Enough
Pope’s 30 points marked a season high, surpassing his previous best of 28 points achieved twice this season. He also set season highs in rebounds (6) and free throws made (7-7). Junior Dailyn Swain contributed 18 points, seven rebounds, and a career-high-tying eight assists in his own 41 minutes on the court. Graduate student Tramon Mark added 17 points, and sophomore Matas Vokietaitis chipped in with 14 points and six boards.
A Game of Runs
The first half saw several momentum swings. After initially falling behind, Texas responded with a 10-0 run to take a brief lead, and later closed the half with a 13-3 run to establish a 40-36 advantage at the break. However, Oklahoma came out strong in the second half, embarking on a 14-2 run to regain control. Texas continued to answer, trimming the deficit to 71-69 with a late surge before Oklahoma’s late push.
In overtime, Pope briefly gave Texas the lead with a three-pointer, but a Wague tip-in and a clutch three-pointer from Reid sealed the victory for the Sooners. The Longhorns struggled with rebounding, losing the battle 40-35, despite outrebounding opponents in 25 of their first 31 games this season.
SEC Tournament Outlook
With the No. 10 seed, Texas will face Ole Miss in the first round of the SEC Tournament. This will be a crucial game for the Longhorns as they look to make a run in the tournament and bolster their NCAA Tournament resume. The team will need to address their rebounding issues and maintain consistent offensive production to advance.
The Longhorns have a 53-17 all-time record at Moody Center, including a 12-5 mark this season. However, this loss to Oklahoma marks their second overtime defeat of the season, dropping their overall overtime record to 3-4 against the Sooners.
Looking ahead, the Longhorns will focus on preparing for their SEC Tournament opener against Ole Miss. The outcome of that game will determine their path through the tournament and their chances of securing a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
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