Texas, Oklahoma battle with Big 12 seedings on the line

There will be plenty on the line as Texas and Oklahoma square off for the final time as members of the Big 12 on Saturday in a key conference clash at Moody Center in Austin. Game time is 1 p.m. and air on ESPN.

[Join Inside Texas and get ONE MONTH of Longhorn intel for just $1!]

For the Longhorns (19-11, 8-9 in Big 12 play) at stake is another chance to beat the Sooners — Texas has captured six straight and seven of the last eight games against Oklahoma, including a 75-60 win on the road on Jan. 23 — as well as the opportunity to get to 20 wins in the regular season and finish at break-even in the conference gauntlet. 

“You’re always focused on the next win,” Texas forward Brock Cunningham said Friday about the clash with Oklahoma. “Every team in the Big 12 is extremely capable, and the past is the past. We will be ready to play on Saturday, and that would be the most important one of them all just because it’s the next game.”

Saturday’s game is the last at home for four Texas seniors — forwards Cunningham and Dylan Disu and guards Max Abmas and Ithiel Horton. Cunningham will play in his 144th contest in the burnt orange and white, tying former stalwart A.J. Abrams for the most games played in program history.  

Both the Longhorns and Sooners are sure to get invites to the NCAA Tournament in two weeks but will look to make a final regular-season impression in advance of the Big Dance. Texas and Oklahoma (20-10, 8-9 Big 12) are tied for eighth place in the league standings and can finish no better than sixth.

The most likely scenario in the topsy-turvy Big 12 mashup sees the Longhorns and Sooners meeting in game 4 of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City as the eighth and ninth seeds.

“We know that this is an important game because not only does it have to do with seeding in the Big 12 tournament but also seeding for the NCAA Tournament,” Disu said. “But we just want to win the game because we know it’s an important game in general.”

Texas plays its home closer after losing 93-85 at No. 11 Baylor on Monday. The Longhorns were up by 14 points early in the first half and by eight at halftime but went without a field goal for almost 10 minutes and succumbed to Baylor’s rally. 

Abmas racked up a season-best 33 points while Kadin Shedrick tallied 14 and Tyrese Hunter added 12 for the Longhorns in the loss. Disu, Texas’ top scorer, was limited to three points after struggling with a stomach virus before the game and then left in the second half with a left knee injury and will be a game time decision to play on Saturday.

Despite the loss to Baylor and an overall enigmatic conference campaign, Texas coach Rodney Terry thinks his team can play with anybody.

“Have we had a stumble here and there? Just like everybody in this league has, yeah. We’ve had that,” Terry said. “But we’re one of the best teams in the country. We’ve stood toe to toe.”

Terry said that over the past month his team has showed its most improvement.

“We’ve gotten so much better by making simple plays and taking care of the basketball and really not beating ourselves,” Terry said.

Senior Day will bring all the feels for the Longhorns’ quartet and the Texas fanbase. Cunningham, in his sixth season on the 40 Acres and playing for his third coach, takes a lot of pride and plenty of memories from his stint.

“I’d like to be remembered as someone that loved the University through three coaches and a pandemic and a whole bunch of other situations,” Cunningham said. “You know, I didn’t see the court my first two years. As someone that wanted to be at Texas the entire time and through it all, I stuck with it and couldn’t be happier with my decision.”

Disu said it means everything to him to be successful at Texas, especially after playing his prep ball at nearby Pflugerville Hendrickson and transferring from Vanderbilt.

“I watched so many guys be successful here,” he explained. “And I always wanted to come here. The reason I came back was to get to the NCAA tournament, play meaningful games in March and that’s what I’ve done and what we’ve done. So it means a lot to me for sure.”

The Sooners head to Austin on the heels of a 74-71 overtime win at home over Cincinnati on Tuesday. Oklahoma trailed by as many as 13 points and by 10 with less than 12 minutes remaining but battled back to force overtime and pull off the victory.

Le’Tre Darthard scored a season-high 18 points and had three free throws in the extra period as the Sooners won for just the second time in their past six games. Oklahoma got 16 points each from Rivaldo Soares and Jalon Moore (seven rebounds) and prevailed without leading scorer Javian McCollum due to a shoulder injury.

[Subscribe to the brand new Inside Texas YouTube channel!]

“I can’t say enough about how much resolve and grit my guys have had, and especially those seniors who are done after this year,” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said.