MENS BASKETBALL
Texas 75, Baylor 73
JIM VERTUNO
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN, Texas - Tyrese Hunter’s driving layup at the buzzer sent Texas to a 75-73 win over No. 9 Baylor, handing the Bears their second straight loss in the Big 12 Conference.
Hunter’s frantic basket came after Baylor’s Jalen Bridges tied it on a long 3-pointer with 5 seconds left, the Bears’ first basket in nearly nine minutes. Texas quickly inbounded the ball and got it to Hunter near midcourt, and he weaved his way around three defenders for the basket.
Game officials had to review the shot to make sure he got it off in time but quickly ruled that it counted.
Hunter finished with 21 points, and Dylan Disu added 19 for the Longhorns and had the assist on the winning basket. Texas (13-5, 2-3) avoided a three-game losing streak in the Big 12 and earned its first conference home win of the season.
Ja’Kobe Walter scored 22 for Baylor (14-4, 3-2).
Baylor survived a Texas 3-point shooting barrage in the first half, when the Longhorns made nine from long range. The Bears allowed none in the second half but ran into their own scoring problems after halftime.
Baylor’s Jalen Bridges and Langston Love made consecutive 3-pointers early in the second half, giving the Bears a 56-50 lead.
But Texas got it back to within one when Hunter faked a 3-pointer and drove for an easy layup, and Kadin Shedrick’s two free throws gave Texas a 67-66 lead with about four minutes to play. Texas then forced a shot-clock violation before Disu made a tough layup.
Baylor got within one on Walter’s two free throws with 50 seconds left and forced an off-balance shot by Disu on the other end. But a hustle play on the long rebound by Chendall Weaver tapped the ball out to Max Abmas, who made two free throws for a 73-70 Texas lead.
BIG PICTURE
Baylor: The Bears came in as No. 3 team in the nation in 3-point shooting but struggled for any offensive rhythm against a Texas team playing its best defense of the season. Baylor made just four from long range in the second half.
Texas: The Longhorns may have saved their season, which was in danger of quickly unraveling after last season’s trip to the Elite Eight, the program’s best run in the NCAA Tournament in 15 years. That performance helped Rodney Terry secure the job as head coach after taking over as interim early in the season.
January 20, 2024
