Jordan Pope posts a historic 42-point night during Texas' win over New Orleans
A Thursday night during Winter break for the University of Texas produced a historic performance within the Texas men’s basketball program. Texas guard Jordan Pope scored 42 points on 15-for-21 shooting, 8-for-12 from three, and 4-for-5 from the line as part of the Longhorns’ 98-62 win over New Orleans at the Moody Center.
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Pope, whose previous career high at Oregon State was 31, set a Moody Center record and posted just the eighth game in program history with 42 or more points by an individual player. It was the first time a player posted 42 points since Jim Krivacs posted the same total in 1977 at Oklahoma State. It was also the fourth most points scored in a home game ever, behind the school record 49 points Slater Martin scored versus TCU in 1949, and dual 43-point nights from Krivacs and Reggie Freeman. Krivacs had a second 43-point game against Northern Montana at home the following year in 1978, while Freeman posted his 43 against Fresno State in 1996.
Pope said postgame that his mind went blank during the course of the night.
“When your teammates are just throwing you the ball, coach is calling your number, and the hoop is 10 times bigger, almost everything you throw up feels like it’s going to go in,” Pope said.
Pope broke the Moody Center record previously held by Marcus Carr, who scored 41 points against Texas A&M-Commerce just over two years ago. Pope’s eight three-point field goals made were two off the record held by Carr and Al Coleman. Pope has just the second 40-point game in building history.
“This guy here to the right of me had quite a night in terms of shooting the basketball,” Texas head coach Rodney Terry said. “We really need him to do that for us at a high level every single night. He’s coming. He’s coming. It started way back in the NC State game when he made some big shots for us and saw the ball go through the basket.”
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What makes Pope’s night unique is the short amount of time he posted his scoring total. He did not score his third point until 6:22 was left in the first half. From that point, he scored 42 points in 24:35 of game time and in 33 minutes total.
Texas’ defeated New Orleans without the help of Tre Johnson and Jayson Kent, who were both out for Thursday’s game due to injury. Arthur Kaluma added 15 points and Chendall Weaver posted 12 to join Pope in double figures.
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Where Pope’s night stands in Texas history
T-1 – Raymond Downs vs. Baylor – 49 points – February 25, 1956
T-1 – Slater Martin vs. TCU – 49 points – February 26, 1949
3 – Joey Wright at Stetson – 46 points – December 30, 1989
4 – Travis Mayes vs. Georgia – 44 points – March 16, 1990
T-5 – Reggie Freeman vs. Fresno State – 43 Points – December 14, 1996
T-5 – Jim Krivacs vs. Northern Montana – 43 points – November 27, 1978
T-7 – Jim Krivacs at Oklahoma state – 42 points – December 7, 1977
T-7 – Jordan Pope vs. New Orleans – 42 points – December 19, 2024
T-9 – Marcus Carr vs. Texas A&M-Commerce – 41 points – December 27, 2022
T-9 – Tyrone Branyan vs. Baylor – 41 points – February 14, 1979
T-9 – Gary Overbeck at Texas A&M – 41 points – February 10, 1968
T-9 – Raymond Downs vs. Arkansas – 41 points – February 5, 1955
