The Texas Longhorns basketball team won on Sunday afternoon. The nation’s No. 19 team (4-0) defeated the Louisville Cardinals (2-2) to win their first game in the Saatva Empire Classic.
The game will not likely go down as a signature win later this year given Louisville won only four games last season. It’s still a huge early win for a team looking to gel with several new players.
The Longhorns looked good in a handful of areas. Virginia transfer forward Kaden Shedrick is proving better than expected when Texas brought him over through the transfer portal. Shedrick made a couple of highlight plays on his way to a career high 27-point game.
True to form, Texas forward Brock Cunningham made huge plays around the basket. Late in the game, Cunningham blocked a close range attempt to keep the Longhorns within striking distance of a win.
After a missed Shedrick free throw while trailing 77-76 with under two minutes left, the veteran forward grabbed a rebound and drew a foul. Cunningham knocked down the free throws.
On the following possession after a Louisville three by transfer guard Skyy Clark, Texas forward Dillon Mitchell crashed the boards to grab a rebound before being fouled.
Though the team was unable to capitalize on much of its all-out effort, it was hustle plays that got Texas back into the game. Down by one point, a defensive scramble for the ball led to a Louisville shot clock violation with 7.9 seconds. Out of a sideline inbound, Texas guard Max Abmas promptly hit a game-winning fadeaway jumper with 0.4 seconds left.
The team is off to a hot start. It will continue to push for more wins in nonconference play. The Longhorns will next face the defending national champions and No. 5 ranked UCONN Huskies in the Empire Classic.
MAX ABMAS WINS IT AT THE BUZZER FOR TEXAS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/FhHQJkiiK0
— ESPN (@espn) November 19, 2023