AUSTIN, Texas — Dylan Osetkowski scored a season-best 22 points and Texas defeated Louisiana Tech 75-60 Saturday afternoon.
Freshman centre Mo Bamba added 14 points, nine rebounds and five blocks for Texas in 18 minutes.
Texas (7-3) received a big boost from another freshman big man, Jericho Sims, who produced nine points and eight rebounds filling in while Bamba was on the bench in foul trouble for chunks of the game.
Sophomore Daquan Bracey scored 20 of his career-best 24 in the second half for Tech (7-4), giving the Bulldogs a chance after they trailed by 17 late in the first half.
Bracey, using hard drives to the basket, scored nine straight points, slicing the Texas lead to four midway through the second half.
But Texas responded with two baskets inside by Sims.
Texas led by 12 at halftime thanks, in part, to four 3-point baskets, including three by Osetkowski. The Texas lead also came courtesy of 12 Louisiana Tech turnovers.
Bamba picked up three fouls in the half and was restricted to just eight minutes.
BIG PICTURE
Louisiana Tech: Turnovers are a statistic indicative of whether the Bulldogs win or lose. They average an impressive 11.7 in their seven victories. But in their four defeats average 16, including 15 against Texas.
Texas: Guard Andrew Jones, the Longhorns’ leading scorer and most accurate 3-point shooter, missed his second straight game with a hairline fracture of his right wrist. Junior Eric Davis started the first game Jones missed, and went 0 for 5 from the field during a loss Michigan. He did not play against Louisiana Tech. Sophomore Jacob Young received the starting assignment and scored 10 points.
UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech faces Alabama State on Thursday at the New Orleans Shootout.
Texas hosts Tennessee State on Monday night.