Tre Johnson scored 18 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:43 to play, as Texas pulled out a 63-59 victory against North Carolina State in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Wednesday night at Raleigh, N.C.
Jordan Pope’s 13 points and Tramon Mark’s 10 points also helped the Longhorns (7-1), who won their seventh game in a row.
Dontrez Styles tallied 17 points off the Wolfpack bench, while Marcus Hill had 16 points and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield added 10 points. NC State (5-3) took its third consecutive loss.
On a night when points were difficult to produce, Johnson connected from long range in front of the Texas bench to put the Longhorns on top 60-57. Styles converted at the other end to make it 60-59 with 1:20 left.
Texas reserve Chendall Weaver then went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line with 59 seconds left, making it a two-point game.
NC State’s Jayden Taylor missed a potential tying shot before the Wolfpack retrieved the rebound but then committed a turnover. Pope missed the front end of a 1-and-1, giving the Wolfpack another chance. Texas made another defensive stand before Weaver’s dunk ended it.
Before that, NC State managed only four points during a 4 1/2-minute stretch but led 57-55 on Hill’s layup off a Texas turnover with 3:58 to play. Pope followed with a game-tying basket before the teams combined for three turnovers across a 53-second stretch.
Johnson made half of Texas’ eight 3-point baskets. Arthur Kaluma pulled in 15 rebounds for the Longhorns.
NC State fell to 55-3 in regular-season, nonconference home games under coach Kevin Keatts.
Both teams were unsuccessful at the free-throw line. Texas was 7-for-14 and NC State was 6-for-14.
The Longhorns led just 33-31 at halftime despite shooting 50 percent from the field and committing only three turnovers.
Texas went up 9-0 before the Wolfpack responded.
The teams’ first meeting in 13 years marked the first time the Wolfpack and Longhorns clashed other than on a neutral court. Texas leads the series 3-2.
–Field Level Media
