Matas Vokietaitis celebrated his 22nd birthday with a commanding performance as the No. 7 Texas Longhorns dismantled Gardner-Webb 98-50 on Thursday night in Austin. The seven-foot junior center shot an efficient 6-for-8 from the field, finishing with 16 points and seven rebounds in just 20 minutes of action. Vokietaitis continues to show elite shooting form, having converted 15 of his last 17 field goal attempts across two games, anchoring a Texas offense that outscored the Runnin’ Bulldogs 54-10 in the paint.
Longhorns dominate paint and bench to secure dominant 48-point victory in Austin
The Longhorns (2-0) controlled the game’s tempo with a stifling defensive effort that highlighted their depth and versatility. Texas forced a 12-minute drought for Gardner-Webb (0-2) spanning the first and second halves, during which the Longhorns outscored the visitors 33-2. Isaiah Johnson, a sophomore transfer from Colorado, contributed 15 points, while the freshman class made significant impacts. Marcus Spears Jr. and Joe Sterling each scored 13 points, with Sterling adding three three-pointers to extend his hot start from the season opener against Chicago State.
Key takeaways from the rout include the emergence of Austin Goosby, who scored 11 points and accounted for five of the team’s 13 steals, signaling a disruptive defensive presence for the Longhorns. The 48-point margin of victory underscores Texas’s ability to leverage size and perimeter shooting against lower-ranked opponents. With a 2-0 record, the program has established early momentum, relying on a balanced scoring attack and elite interior defense to set the tone for the remainder of the season.
Source: Yahoo Sports
