Underdogs Roar: Men’s Basketball Triumphs Over No. 22/24 Missouri with a 61-53 Victory!

AUSTIN, Texas — Senior forward Arthur Kaluma achieved a double-double with a game-high of 14 points and a game-leading 12 rebounds to propel Texas (13-6, 2-4 SEC) to a 61-53 triumph against No. 22/24 Missouri (15-4, 4-2 SEC) at Moody Center on Tuesday evening. This victory marked UT’s initial win over an AP Top 25 rival this season, with Missouri being the fifth ranked opponent that the Longhorns encountered in their last six games.

Kaluma made 4-of-10 field goal attempts and converted 5-of-6 free throw attempts, with six of his 12 rebounds coming on the offensive end, while also contributing two assists, two steals, and two blocks in 33 minutes of play. Freshman Tre Johnson tallied 12 points (5-6 FT), four rebounds, and two assists in 35 minutes, whereas graduate Kadin Shedrick nearly secured a double-double with nine points (5-6 FT) and nine rebounds in 24 minutes.

Defense and rebounding were key factors in Texas’ victory. The Longhorns limited Missouri to a season-low of 53 points with 31.3-percent (15-48) shooting from the field, which included an 18.2-percent mark (4-22) from beyond the arc. The Tigers entered Tuesday averaging 84.8 ppg on 49.2-percent field goal shooting, with a 37.9-percent three-point percentage. Additionally, the Longhorns achieved a plus-8 rebounding margin (39-31), dominating the offensive boards 14-8, and held a significant 20-4 lead in second-chance points.

An early jumper by Anthony Robinson II put the Tigers ahead 4-1 at the 13:41 mark, but Texas countered with a 12-4 surge over the next five-and-a-half minutes for a 13-8 lead after a Jordan Pope three-pointer at 8:03. A free throw by Robinson II narrowed the gap to 24-20 at 3:09, but the Longhorns responded with consecutive three-pointers from Kaluma and Johnson, extending their lead to 30-20 with 1:57 remaining. Missouri scored five unanswered points, reducing the deficit to 30-25 after a pair of Caleb Grill free throws at 1:00, only for a Tramon Mark dunk five seconds before halftime to give Texas a 32-25 lead at the break.

With a pair of Kaluma free throws, Texas reclaimed a 36-32 lead at 17:01, but the Tigers launched a 9-2 run over the next three minutes, taking the lead 41-38 after a Tony Perkins three-pointer at 13:58. Missouri increased their advantage to 45-41 thanks to a couple of Marcus Allen free throws at 8:43.

A dunk from Tamar Bates gave the Tigers a 49-46 lead with 5:43 remaining, but a Jayson Kent layup and a Shedrick free throw restored parity at 49-49 at 4:27. Following a T.O. Barrett free throw offering Missouri a 50-49 lead with 4:01 remaining, Texas sealed the game with a 10-1 run in the subsequent three-and-a-half minutes.

Texas will return to action as they host No. 13/13 Texas A&M on Saturday, Jan. 25. The tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. Central at Moody Center, and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.

Texas Basketball Postgame Notes

Texas 61, #22/24 Missouri 53

January 21, 2025

Moody Center (Austin, Texas)

Attendance: 11,267

Team Notes

• This was the inaugural matchup between Texas and Missouri on the hardwood since the 2011-12 season. UT evened the all-time series at 13-13 with this victory.
• The Longhorns achieved their first win against an AP-ranked opponent (No. 22 Missouri) this season.

• Texas improved to 8-5 in all-time matchups against AP Top 25 teams at Moody Center.
• The Longhorns improved to 39-8 historically in games played at Moody Center.
• Texas has now secured 12 victories against AP-ranked opponents under head coach Rodney Terry.
• Missouri was the fifth ranked foe the Longhorns faced in their past six games. Texas will continue this challenging schedule with a home game against No. 13 Texas A&M on Saturday.
• The Longhorns restricted Missouri to a season-low 53 points with 31.3-percent (15-48) shooting from the field, including an 18.2 percent from beyond the arc. Prior to this, the Tigers’ lowest points total was 68 against Auburn (Jan. 4). Missouri entered the contest averaging 84.8 ppg on 49.2-percent shooting, with a 37.9-percent rate from three-point range.
• UT limited the opponent’s season lows for field goals made (15) and attempted (48).
• Texas accumulated a plus-8 rebounding margin (39-31), including a 14-8 advantage on the offensive boards. The Longhorns scored 20-4 in second-chance points.
• After Missouri took a 50-49 lead on a T.O. Barrett free throw with 4:01 left in the game, Texas concluded the game with a 12-3 run.
• Texas contained Missouri to 25 points on 29.2-percent (7-24) shooting in the first half, including 1-of-10 (.100) from three-point territory, while building a 32-25 halftime lead.

Tre Johnson

• Achieved double figures in scoring (12 points) for the 16th time in his career (18 games)

Arthur Kaluma

• Achieved a double-double (game-high 14 points, game-high 12 rebounds) for the fifth occasion this season (19 games) and the 13th in his career (120 games)
• Surpassed double figures in scoring for the 15th time this season and the 83rd in his career
• Surpassed ten rebounds for the seventh time this year and the 16th time in his career

Julian Larry

• Registered the team’s best plus-minus of plus-16 in 25 minutes played