Photo: John E. Moore III / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
Tyrese Hunter registered a season-high 23 points and tied a season high with seven assists against just one turnover to lead Texas (10-2) to a 72-37 victory over UNC Greensboro (9-4) on Friday night in Moody Center. The Longhorns led from start-to-finish for the fourth time this season, including the third time in their last four contests.
The Texas defense proved to be the story of the night. The Longhorns held UNCG to a season-low 37 points (previous low was 58) on 29.8-percent (14-47) field goal shooting, including a 3-of-19 (.158) mark from three-point range. The Spartans entered the contest ranked No. 13 nationally in three-pointers made per game (10.5) and No. 14 nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.395).
Hunter converted 8-of-12 field goals, including 3-of-4 threes, and 4-of-4 free throws and added six rebounds and one blocked shot in 29 minutes. Graduate forward Kadin Shedrick posted 11 points (5-6 FG), four rebounds and one steal in 20 minutes, and graduate guard Max Abmas recorded 10 points (4-5 FT), three rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes. Sophomore forward Dillon Mitchell tied his career high with four blocked shots.
The Longhorns scored the game’s first seven points, capped by a Hunter layup in transition at the 18:38 mark. UNCG trimmed the deficit to 10-5 following a Keyshaun Langley jumper with 16:19 remaining, before Texas went on an 11-0 run over the next three-and-a-half minutes to build a 21-5 cushion after a Hunter jumper at the 12:53 mark.
The Spartans responded with a 7-0 spurt over the next five minutes to cut the margin to 21-12 following a Joryam Saizonou free throw with 7:13 left. UNCG got within 27-22 after a Keyshaun Langley three-pointer at the 4:17 mark, but the Longhorns held the Spartans scoreless for the remainder of the half and closed the period on a 9-0 run to build a 36-22 advantage at the break. Hunter had 16 points (6-9 FG, 2-2 threes), five assists without a turnover and four rebounds in 18 minutes of action in the first half. The Longhorns held UNCG to 22 points on 34.6-percent (9-26) shooting from the floor, including a 2-of-11 (.182) mark from three-point range, in the opening 20 minutes.
Texas opened the second half with a 21-3 run over the first 8:17 and increased its cushion to 32 points (57-25) following a Dylan Disu three-pointer with 11:43 remaining. The margin did not dip below 30 points for the remainder of the contest, as the Longhorns built the lead to as much as 38 points (72-34) after a Devon Pryor three-pointer at the 1:19 mark. Texas posted a 36-15 scoring margin over the final 20 minutes and held UNCG to 23.8-percent (5-21) field goal shooting, including a 1-of-8 (.125) mark from three-point range.
Texas returns to the court when it hosts UTA on Monday, Jan. 1. Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. Central at Moody Center, and the game will be televised nationally by Longhorn Network.