Texas basketball earned its best win of the season on Saturday, beating ninth-ranked Baylor 75-73 at Moody Center in instant-classic fashion.
A highly competitive, back-and-forth affair came down to its final moments as Bears coach Scott Drew took a timeout with just 14 seconds remaining, his team down three. After Langston Love caught a pitch-ahead and faked a dribble hand-off on the right wing, he reversed course the other way and threw a cross-court chest pass to Jalen Bridges. The senior forward wasted little time, quickly jabbing right then taking one dribble left before stepping back for a well-contest triple.
Splash. Tie game, 73-73, with just 5.1 seconds left.
Longhorns coach Rodney Terry still had a timeout remaining but opted against taking it, content to attack the open floor as Baylor set its defense. That choice paid immediate dividends when no one picked up Tyrese Hunter after he inbounded the ball, giving the Longhorns guard a free runway past halfcourt and all the way to the rim.
HERE COMES HUNTER 😤🤘#HookEm | @hunter_tyrese pic.twitter.com/WbgsWXfYzL
— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) January 20, 2024
Game over. Texas wins at the buzzer, not only defeating a favored in-state rival, but getting a victory that will loom extremely large to the NCAA Tournament selection committee come March.
Needless to say, Longhorns fans and hoop heads alike went nuts in response to Hunter's last-second heroics.
HUGE WIN! Show ‘em that #TEXASFIGHT
— Cali Texas Ex (@TexasEXinCA) January 20, 2024
Smart play by Tyrese to keep going downhill. Defender may have thought he was going to pull up. 💨
— Michael Gens (@mikegens) January 20, 2024
Tyrese Hunter with a buzzer-beating game winner for #Texas to beat #9 Baylor.
Right in front of 100+ top football prospects as well. pic.twitter.com/fk2X82znfB
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) January 20, 2024
The hero for the Horns. Tyrese Hunter. Needed win for #HookEm pic.twitter.com/li7XRWQN55
— Noah Gross (@noah_gross27) January 20, 2024
Tyrese Hunter. Big time players make big time plays pic.twitter.com/KFqbulyn0n
— RoundBall Podcast (@roundballpod) January 20, 2024
Tyrese Hunter called game!! pic.twitter.com/x9jukLKKeq
— University of Tampering (@Doc_Texas) January 20, 2024
Texas beats Baylor with this Tyrese Hunter insane buzzer beater layup
BUT LOOK AT THE KID BEING SIMBA’d! pic.twitter.com/FORXZF33LM
— Carter B (@CarterthePower) January 20, 2024
GAMEWINNING
BUZZERBEATING
FLOATAAAAA
TYRESE HUNTERAFTER THE STEPBACK THREE SPLASHED IN BY JALEN BRIDGES TIED IT
what a finish to Texas-Baylor
— Beyond the RK (@beyondtheRK) January 20, 2024
With all the negative noise surrounding Rodney Terry & this Texas Basketball team. They get a big time much needed win against a top 10 team
-Tyrese Hunter had his best game as a Longhorn & was clutch
-Chendall Weaver is just a tough SOB
-Great Defense the last 9 mins— Isiah Jordan Collier (@Zay_Collier) January 20, 2024
The win moves Texas to 13-5 overall, including 2-3 in Big 12 play. The Longhorns' much-needed victory comes at the start of their toughest portion of the regular season schedule, before a whopping five more consecutive games versus ranked opponents—not even including later matchups against Houston and Kansas, both in the top-five.
Could this be the spark that fuels Texas to a midseason turnaround? We'll find out more on Tuesday when the Longhorns head to Norman for a clash with No. 15 Oklahoma.
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