Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
Max Abmas tallied a game-high 16 points to pace No. 12/16 Texas (7-2) to a 77-50 victory over Houston Christian (1-7) on Saturday afternoon in Moody Center. Sophomore forward Dillon Mitchell recorded his third double-double through the first nine games of this season with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Abmas converted 7-of-12 field goals and added a season-best seven assists against just one turnover in 30 minutes. Mitchell, who registered just one double-double in 38 games during his freshman season, converted 5-of-8 field goals and 3-of-4 free throws to go along with three assists, two steals and one blocked shot in 31 minutes. Graduate forward Kadin Shedrick recorded 15 points (6-10 FG, 1-1 threes, 2-2 FT), a career-high four steals and three blocked shots in 25 minutes, and junior guard Tyrese Hunter added 12 points (5-10 FG), five assists and a season-high three steals in 34 minutes.
The Longhorns held Houston Christian to 50 points on 30.3-percent (20-66) field goal shooting, including a 3-of-12 (.250) mark from three-point range, on the afternoon. Texas recorded a team season-high 13 steals and forced 16 turnovers while posting a 20-4 advantage in points off turnovers. The Longhorns also registered a 48-30 margin in points in the paint and a 21-4 edge in fast-break points.
Tied at 6-6 following a Bonke Maring layup at the 16:32 mark, the Longhorns used back-to-back three-pointers from Hunter and Shedrick to grab a 12-6 advantage with 15:56 remaining. Texas increased its cushion to 16-8 after a Mitchell layup at the 14:50 mark. HCU used a 9-2 spurt over the next three minutes to trim the deficit to 18-17 following a Maring jumper with 11:57 left.
From there, the Longhorns pitched a shutout for the remainder of the first half and closed the half by scoring the final 19 points to take a 37-17 lead into the break. Texas held Houston Christian to 17 points on 20.7-percent (6-29) field goal shooting in the opening 20 minutes.
The Longhorns increased their lead to 44-23 following a three-point play from Ze’Rik Onyema at the 15:37 mark. The Huskies used a 5-0 spurt over the next two minutes to cut the deficit to 44-28 after a Marcus Greene three-point play with 13:44 left, but that was as close as HCU would get the rest of the way.
The Huskies trimmed the margin to 58-41 following a Maring put-back at the 8:11 mark, before the Longhorns sealed the outcome with an 8-0 run over the next 2:20 to grab a 66-41 advantage after a Chendall Weaver three-pointer with 5:51 remaining. The margin stayed above 20 points for the remainder of the contest.
Texas is back in action when it travels to Houston to face LSU in a neutral-site game as part of The Halal Guys Showcase on Saturday, Dec. 16. Tip is scheduled for 11 a.m. Central at the Toyota Center.