Texas Basketball: 3 takeaways from huge Big 12 opening win over OK State

No. 11 ranked Texas basketball notched a big win to round out the weekend and to open up the Big 12 slate with a home win over Oklahoma State on Dec. 20.

A really nice win to hold off head coach Mike Boynton and the Oklahoma State Cowboys at home for head coach Shaka Smart and No. 11 ranked Texas basketball made a statement to the rest of the Big 12 to round out the weekend. Texas didn’t get caught up in the hype of Oklahoma State’s superstar freshman point guard Cade Cunningham at home on Dec. 20.

In fact, Smart and the Longhorns saw their own sensational true freshman talent step to the forefront to take command of this game. Hometown freshman power forward Greg Brown was the MVP of this game for the Longhorns, having the best outing of his short college career to date over the weekend.

Texas got the win over the Pokes at home at the Frank Erwin Center on the afternoon of Dec. 20 by the narrow final score of 77-74. Oklahoma State tried to push Texas, but Smart saw his squad lock down when needed in the second half. It was actually Oklahoma State that came out of the gates firing, taking a 34-29 lead into the locker room after the first 20 minutes.

But Texas once again responded strong in the second half, to the tune of a 48-40 edge. That gave the Longhorns the three-point win at home to move their record on the season so far to 7-1 (1-0 Big 12). Meanwhile, Oklahoma State moves their record on the season so far to 6-2 (0-2 Big 12). They now have a two-game losing streak to start out their Big 12 slate.

Here’s a look into three takeaways as the Longhorns take care of business against Oklahoma State in their de facto Big 12 opener on the hardwood on Dec. 20.