deadspin
Matas Vokietaitis scored 22 points, Isaiah Johnson added 18, and the No. 7 Texas Longhorns opened their season with a resounding 109-59 victory over the Chicago State Cougars on Monday in Austin, Texas.
Vokietaitis, a 7-footer, was perfect from the field, making all nine of his shot attempts, and grabbed six rebounds. He scored 14 points in the second half. Highly regarded freshman Marcus Spears Jr. contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and four blocked shots off the bench for the Longhorns, who never trailed and secured their 25th consecutive home opener win.
Texas, ranked No. 7 to start the season—its highest preseason ranking since being No. 5 in 2021-22—took control early. The Longhorns jumped out to a 26-8 lead just eight minutes into the game and led by as many as 29 in the first half. They shot 62.5% from the field overall and 67.7% in the first half, including 6 of 13 from 3-point range, to take a 56-30 lead into halftime. For the game, Texas made 13 of 26 3-pointers and held a 44-22 rebounding advantage.
Will Lovings-Watts scored 13 points and Mike Price had 12 for Chicago State, which was picked to finish eighth in the nine-team Northeast Conference preseason poll. The Cougars shot 39.3% from the field and committed 15 turnovers, 12 of which came in the first half.
Johnson, a transfer from Colorado, was efficient, making 5 of 8 field goals and 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. He also chipped in five assists and three rebounds. Last season at Colorado, he led the team in scoring at 16.9 points per game and shot 37.8% from 3-point range.
Freshman Austin Goosby started at point guard and stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds, and eight of the Longhorns' 22 assists. Texas averaged only 12.4 assists per game last season while reaching the Sweet 16. Joe Sterling added 14 points with four 3-pointers, and Amari Evans contributed 11 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars.
Six different Texas players scored in the first six minutes as the Longhorns built leads of 13-3, 17-5, and 26-8. Goosby opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, and fellow freshman Bo Ogden capped the early run with another trey. Price scored all eight of Chicago State's points in the first six minutes.
Key Analysis
The Longhorns' offensive efficiency was on full display, with Texas shooting a blistering 62.5% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. The balanced scoring attack, with six players scoring in double figures, underscores the team's depth and versatility. Defensively, Texas held Chicago State to 39.3% shooting and forced 15 turnovers, converting those into easy transition points. The rebounding margin (44-22) further illustrates the Longhorns' dominance in the paint. With this statement win, Texas signals it is a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12 and beyond.
Originally reported by deadspin.