AUSTIN, Texas – Timmy Allen scored 24 points and his long jumper from just beyond the free throw line with 21 seconds left put No. 20 Texas ahead before Marcus Carr’s free throws sealed a 79-76 win over No. 8 Kansas on Monday night.
Texas, one of the best defensive teams in the country, had to withstand a blistering shooting half from the top-scoring team in the Big 12.
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Kansas led 76-72 before the Longhorns' Tre Mitchell, who had missed all five of his 3-point attempts, banked one in to get the Longhorns within one. Kansas then turned it over when Ochai Agbaji’s lob to David McCormack bounced off the front of the rim.
Allen's jumper put Texas ahead before Carr's steal and free throws with 6 seconds left sealed the victory, Texas' third in a row over the Jayhawks. Texas swept Kansas in the regular season last season.
Mitchell scored 17 and Carr finished with 10 points for the Longhorns (18-6, 7-4 Big 12).
Jalen Wilson scored 18 to lead the Jayhawks (19-4, 8-2), who still remain in first place in the Big 12. Agbagi, the leading scorer in the Big 12, finished with 11 points, nearly 10 points below his average.
Texas led 40-35 at halftime on a twisting floater from Andrew Jones before a Jayhawks turnover set up Carr's buzzer-beater 3-pointer. Texas had missed its first 10 long range attempts before Carr swished from the right wing.
Kansas struggled in the first half to find the free-flowing offense that can flip a game in a flash. Texas guard Courtney Ramey didn't score a point in the half, but his lockdown defensive effort on Agbaji held the Jayhawks guard to just seven points on just five shots in the half.
But Kansas kept pecking away and a hot shooting start to the second half — the Jayhawks made nine of their first 12 shots — eventually put them ahead on Josef Yesufu's steal and dunk. Kansas shot 64 % in the second half.
A 3-pointer from Dajuan Harris and a dunk by Christian Braun helped Kansas build a 67-62 lead before Ramey rallied the Longhorns with consecutive layups to keep the Jayhawks from pulling away.
BIG PICTURE
Kansas: The Jayhawks were sloppy with the ball in the first half against Texas' relentless defense and paid for it. Kansas surrendered 24 points on 15 turnovers in the game. The final turnover from Harris as Kansas still had a chance to shoot for the win before Carr's free throws.
Texas: Physical play by Allen, Mitchell and Christian Bishop had Texas hanging with the bigger Jayhawks inside. Allen had nine rebounds and Bishop had 10. Mitchell scored 10 straight points in the first half as the Longhorns rallied from an early 18-11 deficit.
UP NEXT
Kansas: The Jayhawks host Oklahoma on Saturday.
Texas: The Longhorns play at No. 10 Baylor on Saturday.