Pope scores 27 to help pace Texas and stave off Oklahoma comeback in 77-73 win over Sooners

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jordan Pope scored 27 points and freshman Tre Johnson scored 16 points and Texas blunted Oklahoma’s comeback bid beating Oklahoma 77-73 on Wednesday night.

Tramon Mark scored 15 points and Kadin Shedrick 10 for Texas (12-5, 1-3) who won its first-ever game as a member of the Southeastern Conference. Texas never trailed.

Jalon Moore scored a career-high 29 points and Jeremiah Fears scored 20 for Oklahoma (13-4, 0-4) who is still in search of its first SEC win.

The Longhorns led 43-27 at halftime and used a 10-3 run to build its largest lead of the game at 53-30 with 16:15 before the Sooners awakened. Oklahoma outscored Texas 26-7 in a 10-minute span reduced its deficit to 60-56 with 6:12 left. Three. minutes later, Moore’s 3-pointer got OU within 71-68. But Johnson closed the door with back-to-back fadeaway jumpers at 1:47 and 1:19 remaining.

Oklahoma made one more push when Fears hit a 3, and off a Pope turnover, Moore threw down a dunk. In the face of the Sooners press, on the inbounds, Fears threw a near length-of-the court pass that Mark caught up to and threw down for a dunk to end the scoring with 13 seconds left.

With the help of Arthur Kaluma’s three early layups, Texas built a 14-7 lead. Midway through the first half, Pope made a 3-pointer to provide Texas with its first double-digit lead of the game at 22-12.

Texas travels to face fifth-ranked Florida on Saturday. Texas hosts South Carolina on Saturday.

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