Four-point play: Andrew Jones, hot shooting puts Texas in second round

For the first time since the 2013-14 season under Rick Barnes, the Texas Longhorns are in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Led by senior Andrew Jones’ 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, six-seed Texas topped the Virginia Tech Hokies, 81-73, to move on to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

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In addition to Jones’ 21 points, Marcus Carr added 15 points, Timmy Allen added 14 points, Christian Bishop scored 11 points, and Courtney Ramey chipped in 10 points.

Here are four thoughts on Texas’ winning performance:

Three-point shooting was the difference

Entering this game, Virginia Tech was third nationally in three-point shooting at 39.3 percent. The Hokies shot 33.3 percent from behind the arc versus Texas, including 28.6 percent in the second half. Meanwhile, the Horns, who hit 33 percent of its shots from distance during the 2021-22 season, made 52.6 percent of its shots from distance against the Hokies.

Texas’ 53.8 percent first-half three-point shooting performance kept the game close in the first 20 minutes. The Longhorns were 11-of-32 shooting, good for 34.4 percent, but hit 7-of-13 shots from distance, including Carr’s three-quarter court prayer at the buzzer to put the Longhorns up 34-32 at the half.

Jones’ efforts kept the game close in the first 20 minutes. The sixth-year senior from Irving hit 6-of-9 shots in the first half, including 5-of-6 from three. Other Longhorns were 5-of-23 from the field and 2-of-7 from behind the arc in the first half.

Though Jones didn’t add a second-half make from beyond the arc, his teammates helped him out while the Hokies shot well under their season average.

Texas hit 3-of-6 beyond the arc while Virginia Tech hit just 2-of-7 from three in the second half. The Longhorns not only stifled the Hokies from outside, but outperformed them too. That discrepancy made a massive difference in the game.

Overall, Texas hit 10 three-pointers to Virginia Tech’s four. It was the first time this season Texas had a double-digit number of makes from beyond the arc against a power conference opponent.

What great timing.

How about Chris Beard?

The Texas head coach might not mention it, but he just led UT men’s basketball to its first win in the NCAA tournament since 2014.

Texas has 36 NCAA tournament appearances, which is No. 11 all time, but the program’s lack of wins of late has been the cloud hanging over the program. Previous head coach Shaka Smart couldn’t clear the skies. But Beard, with a team that had plenty of flaws, put the Longhorns into the second round.

Beard was mainly hired to thrive in March. He led Texas to a win at his third different collegiate stop (Little Rock, Texas Tech, Texas). No matter what happens on Sunday, Beard recorded a win Texas desperately wanted, fans, transfers, and returners alike.

How about Andrew Jones?

Everyone who follows college basketball knows Jones’ story. But Jones is a basketball player, and while defeating leukemia inspired millions, he likely wants his story to be more than that of someone who topped a terrible disease.

Jones wants to be known as more than a survivor. He wants to be known as a thriver.

Well, looking at the first half of this game would indicate more than just Jones being a thriver. It would show he’s a leader, a No. 1, an alpha.

Texas only hit 11 shots in the first half. Jones hit six of those. The Longhorns were 7-of-13 from three in the first half. Jones hit five of those seven makes from distance.

If it weren’t for Jones, Texas could have been down at the intermission. He was the only Longhorn in double figures in the first half. He finished with 21 points and five rebounds in 30 minutes of play.

If it weren’t for the play of the sixth-year senior, Texas might not be moving on. Others, like Carr, Ramey, and Allen, picked things up in the second half. But Jones carried Texas in the first half, delivering one of his best performances in burnt orange.

Marcus Carr’s finest hour

Often ridiculed, the Minnesota transfer notched his first NCAA tournament win on Friday in one of his best performances in burnt orange.

Carr recorded a season-high nine assists and added 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including his three-quarter court shot at the halftime buzzer to put the Longhorns up 34-32.

He was also responsible for two steals and just one turnover, and helped limit Hokie starting guards Storm Murphy, Nahiem Alleyne, and Hunter Cattoor to five total assists and a -12 showing overall.

Texas needed an excellent performance from its starting guard trio of Carr, Ramey, and Jones. That’s exactly what they got, with all three in double figures, and the Longhorns have a chance to advance to the Sweet 16 as a result.