No. 2 Horns remains undefeated, fending off No. 7 Creighton 72-67
AUSTIN (KXAN) — No. 2 Texas survived a late rally from No. 7 Creighton to grab a 72-67 win at the Moody Center on Thursday.
Texas guard Marcus Carr hit a pair of clutch errors with 10 seconds left, and then Brock Cunningham closed the game with a pair of his own four seconds from time.
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Texas forward Dylan Disu (1) scores against Creighton in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Dillon Mitchell (23) and Creighton forward Arthur Kaluma (24) go for a rebound in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Creighton forward Arthur Kaluma (24) is fouled by Texas guard Sir’Jabari Rice (10) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas on Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas head coach Chris Beard speaks to his players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game vs. Creighton in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Creighton guard Baylor Scheierman (55) works the ball around Texas forward Timmy Allen (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) and Texas forward Dillon Mitchell (23) vie for control of a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric gay ) -
Creighton forward Arthur Kaluma (24) passes the ball to Texas forward Dillon Mitchell (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Creighton guard Trey Alexander (23) drives around Texas guard Marcus Carr (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Creighton guard Trey Alexander (23) drives for Texas forward Dylan Disu (left) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Creighton guard Ryan Nembhard (2) drives past Texas guard Tyrese Hunter (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Creighton coach Greg McDermott signals to players during the first half of the team’s NCAA collegiate basketball game against Texas in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Creighton forward Arthur Kaluma (24) drives to the basket against Texas guard Marcus Carr (5) and forward Dillon Mitchell (23) in the first half of an NCAA collegiate basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, December 1, 2022 . (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Marcus Carr (5) drives past Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner (second from left) to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay ) -
Texas guard Marcus Carr (5) drives past Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner (second from left) to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay ) -
Creighton forward Arthur Kaluma (24) leaps past Texas guard Arterio Morris (2) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Christian Bishop (32) shoots over Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas Thursday, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Longhorns head coach Chris Beard said the coaching staff spends a lot of time going through free-throw routines and steadying their heart rates to stay steady under pressure at the foul line.
“That’s what it takes to beat a team like Creighton,” Beard said. “You earn the right to take those free throws and we work on that all the time.”
Texas only turned the ball over three times, and on a night when they weren’t shooting so well, ball care was all the more important.
“The difference of the game was our ability to watch the ball,” Beard said. “We’ve had a few of those games over the years but nothing quite like it against a team like Creighton. We couldn’t really flip them either, so we got a bit lucky.”
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The Longhorns led by as much as 11 points in the second half and withstood attacking fire from the Bluejays, including sniper Baylor Scheierman, who suddenly came to life. Scheierman, a 44 percent 3-pointer of the season, started the game 0 for 9 but then scored 11 of his 13 points in the last 3:33 of the ballgame behind a trio of 3-pointers. He hit a long shot that fell away with 11 seconds left to get the Bluejays within three, 68-65.
Texas held Creighton on 15% shots from 3-point range and the Longhorns made 31 field goal attempts to the Bluejays’ 27. Texas had 11 points from eight Bluejays turnovers and had 20 fastbreak points to Creighton’s five.
Creighton head coach Greg McDermott said part of the credit goes to Texas for their tough defense.
Carr had 19 points for the Longhorns to take the lead. Tyrese Hunter chipped 15 and Timmy Allen chipped 11. For Creighton, 7-foot-1 center Ryan Kalabrenner had 20 points on 9-for-10 shooting and 13 rebounds. Scheierman finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
This story is in progress and will be updated Thursday evening. Check back later for more information.
