Texas Basketball: Longhorns Destroy UAB, 96-60

Texas would get back on track with a convincing 96-60 victory over UAB.

After going down in five of their last seven games, Texas needed to find a way to get above .500 and move their season in the right direction. At 5-5, the UAB game turned into a must-win if the Longhorns want to avoid having their record further break down as we head into 2017. Every game matters toward the NCAA Tournament. So, what would the school do on Wednesday night?

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Texas ended up dominating UAB from the start. They started out with an early 6-0 lead and never looked back, as they had a 16-point lead by the end of the first half. This would only extend into the second half with the margin increasing by 20 more points.

After shooting poorly from the free throw line against Arkansas (59.4-percent), Texas rebounded beautifully by going a perfect 12 for 12 from the line. Shaquille Cleare hit four free throws to lead the way.

Forcing turnovers would be a key way of the Burnt Orange walking out of this with a win as well. Kerwin Roach Jr. had a game-high six steals, making up for more than half of his team’s total in that category. He added five assists to help spread the ball on Texas’ 50-plus percent shooting night.

However, the leader of the pack would be Tevin Mack, who has been Texas’ best player in 2016-17. He had a game-high 18 points on 50-percent shooting, including three three-pointers, another top total for the matchup. Mack had been one of five players on the home team to score in double-digits, making up for 74 of the 96 points.

Again, Texas has yet to declare this official but Mack had 18, Allen and Jones had 16. Horns shot 54 percent. pic.twitter.com/zl4i20MCl4

— Brian Davis (@BDavisAAS) December 22, 2016

Three Stars

1. Tevin Mack, Texas – Mack looked strong with his 18 points to lead the way.

2. Kerwin Roach Jr., Texas – Roach didn’t score a lot of points, but he added five assists and six steals.

3. Jarrett Allen, Texas – Allen had 16 points on 8 of 9 shooting and chipped in half-a-dozen rebounds.

What’s Next?

Following Wednesday night’s game, the Longhorns will have six days off and return on Tuesday, December 27. They will stay at home to face Kent State before beginning their Big 12 schedule.