Texas Falls in Overtime Heartbreaker
Texas Longhorns lost to Oklahoma 88-85 in overtime in their final regular season game despite 30 points from Pope. The Longhorns (18-13 overall, 9-9 SEC) led at halftime but couldn't hold on, suffering a tough loss heading into the postseason.
The Longhorns erased a 12-point deficit in the final seven minutes of regulation, closing the second half on a 20-8 run to force the extra period. The game, which saw 11 ties and 10 lead changes, was ultimately decided at the free-throw line and on the boards, where Oklahoma held a 40-35 advantage. While Jordan Pope's 30 points led all scorers, he had significant help. Junior Dailyn Swain contributed 18 points, 7 rebounds, and a career-high-tying 8 assists in 41 minutes of play. Tramon Mark added 17 points, with 10 of those coming in the final six minutes of regulation to fuel the comeback. For Oklahoma, the offense was powered by Nijel Pack, who scored 23 points, and Xzayvier Brown, who added 21. Their combined 44 points were crucial in weathering the Longhorns' late surge and securing the road win in front of a sellout crowd at the Moody Center. The loss cements Texas as the No. 10 seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament. The Longhorns will now have to quickly regroup for a first-round matchup against No. 15 seed Ole Miss on Wednesday, March 11, as they look to make a run in the conference tournament.
