Texas does it all in dominating win over UIW, conference play awaits

With Big 12 play just around the corner, No. 17 Texas had one more opponent to attempt to dispatch before welcoming the West Virginia Mountaineers on New Year’s Day.

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Instead of overlooking the 2-10 Incarnate Word Cardinals, the Longhorns were ready to play Tuesday night following a six-day break. Chris Beard’s team dominated in every aspect, holding the Cardinals to the fourth-lowest opponent scoring total in program history in a 78-33 win.

“We were ready to play tonight,” Beard said after the game.

Texas controlled the contest from the opening tip, playing stifling defense against the moribund Southland Conference team. That defense turned into fast break opportunities, something the Longhorns had not utilized often in its first 12 games.

The offense opened up scoring chances for a host of Horns. Eleven different players contributed to Texas’ scoring total, led by 14 points apiece from Tre Mitchell and Dylan Disu.

They led a scoring effort that tallied 28 points off 18 UIW turnovers, 13 second-chance points from 13 offensive rebounds, and 17 fast break points.

“That’s another part of our offense opening up,” Mitchell said. “It was just, we were trying to play fast and push the ball up the floor because we have so many weapons in transition that it’s easy, free points.”

That offense wouldn’t have opened up without the defensive intensity. The Longhorns held UIW to just 14 first-half points. They allowed zero points in the paint during the first 20, and forced the Cardinals to turn it over four times during a six-minute stretch midway through the period.

The 14 points was a season low for Longhorn opponents. UIW scored on 6 of it’s 30 first half possessions, equaling 20 percent.

The Cardinals turned it over on 40 percent of their first half possessions.

Disu didn’t just have a hand in scoring, he also tied a career best with five blocks. That was part of a season-high eight block night for the Longhorns.

The second half was a lot more of the first, even when the end of the Longhorn bench received more and more minutes. Offense was tough to come by the entire game for UIW. The Cardinals’ shooting percentages for Tuesday night were 27/19/43 (FG/3PT/FT).

When they missed, which was often, Texas moved the ball well and shared it the right amount. Of 33 made baskets, 23 were the result of assists. The Longhorns delivered one of their more efficient scoring nights of the season right as the calendar turns and conference play begins. The lone offensive was a 27 percent night from behind the arc.

“We were scoring in all avenues,” Beard said. “Offensive rebounding, defense created offense, we were sharing the ball, so I thought it was a good night offensively.”

Texas valued each possession, limiting themselves to just eight turnovers. UIW made a single three-pointer off Texas’ first turnover of the game. It was also the Cardinals’ first bucket.

Everyone had a hand in scoring for Texas. Brock Cunningham added six points, as did Jase Febres. Andrew Jones notched seven points, and Marcus, Carr, Christian Bishop, and Courtney Ramey added eight points each.

Ramey also led the Longhorns in minutes with 24 after playing four minutes in the previous game versus Alabama State. He appeared engaged on the sideline versus the Hornets, but it was easier for him to be engaged when he was on the floor shooting at a 4-of-8 clip and offering two assists.

When asked if Ramey was in a “doghouse,” Beard instead emphasized the importance of the junior from the St. Louis area to the Longhorns’ 2021 fortunes.

“We need Ramey at his best,” Beard said. “I have no backup plan. If you tell me Ramey’s not going to play at his best these next 19 games, then I don’t have a backup plan.

“You tell me we can get Ramey playing to his potential and having the best season he’s ever had, then I think we’re about to go on a pretty exciting ride.”

That ride begins with Saturday’s game versus the Mountaineers. Beard is trying to draw more fans to the Erwin Center for the morning New Year’s Day game, offering free mimosas to everyone who pays the $10 for entry to the 11 a.m contest.

The Mountaineers will be a tough task, but it’s one Texas wasn’t looking ahead to when preparing for Incarnate Word. The ensuing performance against the Cardinals provided as good a sendoff into the new year as Beard could ask for.