Three Point Play: Marcus Carr's historic 41-point performance paces Texas past Texas A&M-Commerce

Plenty of individual stars have donned the burnt orange and white since the 1996-97 season, including All-Americans like Chris Mihm, TJ Ford, Kevin Durant, and DJ Augustin. None of those players, or the host of others to go from Austin to the NBA in the past 20 years, did what Marcus Carr did versus Texas A&M-Commerce on Tuesday night.

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Carr tied a career-high with 41 points, recording the first 40-point game for Texas since Reggie Freeman scored 43 points versus Fresno State on December 14, 1996. Carr scored 33 in the first half, tying Jim Krivacs’ school record for the most points in any half and setting a Longhorn record for points in the first half, while also outscoring the Lions by four single-handedly in the first 20 minutes. Plus, he tied Al Coleman’s school record for three-point shots made in a game with 10.

historic night for 5️⃣ pic.twitter.com/ev4lJjnbsh

— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) December 28, 2022

But most importantly to Carr, a player who has repeatedly reiterated his focus is on winning over individual accolades or statistics, the Longhorns topped A&M-Commerce 97-72 to complete an 11-1 march through their non-conference slate.

Carr’s historic night

Over the past three games versus Rice, Stanford, and Louisiana, Carr had been a consistent scoring threat for the Longhorns. He poured in 28 versus the Owls in an emotional game, 17 against Stanford at a neutral site, and 17 again in a 100-point showing for the Longhorns versus the Ragin’ Cajuns.

He had been confident in his shot, but those performances didn’t hint at what he would go on to do on Tuesday night.

Carr simply was electric from the field whether the Lions were within two or trailing by 22. Unconscious gets thrown around a lot for shooters, but no term encapsulates his night from the field like that one.

Though there’s an assumption Carr thrives in isolation, and it has merit, he definitely had help on Tuesday. Eight of his 13 made field goals came from teammates’ assists, with Timmy Allen and Tyrese Hunter both totaling eight dimes apiece. Carr even had a few dishes that led to scores himself, finishing with four assists.

To break or set records at any program is an impressive achievement. To break records at Texas, especially considering some of the names he passed in order to set those records, is nothing short of a tremendous feat.

Carr will remember this night for a long time, as he very well should.

A look at the numbers

Carr led one of the better offensive nights for Texas this season, albeit against a Lion team making the transition from Division II to Division I. He was joined in double figures by Dillon Mitchell with 16 points and Arterio Morris with 12.

Overall, the Longhorns were 37-of-66 from the field, and 12-of-27 from three. Remove Carr, and Texas was a strong 24-of-47 from the field and a more meager 2-of-12 from three, continuing the trend of tremendous shooting from inside the arc. The Longhorns had 28 assists to 10 turnovers, and scored 43 times on 68 possessions to reach their 97 point total.

Dylan Disu, Big 12 play, and a look at the resume

Disu, who the Longhorn Network broadcast said was available to play despite a knee sprain suffered versus Louisiana, did not play versus A&M-Commerce. Christian Bishop received the start in his stead, scoring nine points and pulling down four rebounds in 21 minutes.

The Longhorns play dogged interior defense, but Disu and his 6-foot-9 frame was the closest thing Texas had to a rim protector on the roster. Bishop plays tough, but he plays tough at 6-foot-7.

Disu’s situation is one to monitor, especially as Big 12 play begins with the Longhorns’ upcoming game.

Texas will travel to Norman, Okla. on New Years Eve to take on the rival Sooners, who are currently 9-3 with their lone home loss at the hands of Sam Houston State. Texas’ Big 12 home slate will begin in the new year on January 3 when Kansas State comes to the Moody Center.

The Longhorns surged through non-conference play with big wins over Gonzaga and Creighton and a single blemish suffered in overtime on a neutral floor versus Illinois.

Big 12 play is never easy, and that holds true again this year. Every Big 12 team is ranked No. 60 or better in the most recent NET rankings, with Baylor, West Virginia, and Kansas joining the Horns in the top 20.

How high the ceiling is on a season that took a significant turn in the past two weeks will be strongly determined by the 18 conference games and one non-conference tilt with Tennessee remaining on the schedule. Ahead of the beginning of play in the country’s strongest conference, the Longhorns enter feeling like they have a chance to win the program’s first regular season crown since 2007-08.