DES MOINES, Iowa (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns might not have made it to the water if they fell off a 3-point boat Saturday against 10-seeded Penn State, but senior forward Dylan Disu made up for that — and then some.
Disu had 28 points on 14-of-20 shooting, and despite a night of 1-of-13 from long range by the Longhorns, they outscored the Nittany Lions 71-66 to advance to the Sweet 16.
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It is the first time Texas has made the Sweet 16 since the 2007-08 season. Longhorns interim head coach Rodney Terry was a team assistant that year under head coach Rick Barnes.
“These guys with a day’s preparation, they sat down and went with the game plan,” Terry said. “We put this in our defense. We know that some nights we won’t shoot as well as we would like, but our defense travels. Our boys competed at a very high level”.
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It was a season-high for Disu, who had sensational play in the postseason for Texas. He was named the Big 12 Conference Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after scoring 44 points in three games, and had 17 points and 10 rebounds in a first-round NCAA Tournament win over Colgate.
His 14 made field goals broke the school record for most shots made in an NCAA Tournament shared by Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge.
“Everyone dreams of showing up at March Madness and my teammates were finding me,” Disu said. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”
- Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry walks off the field with guard Myles Dread (2) after a second round college basketball game against Texas in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas forward Dylan Disu (1) celebrates with teammate guard Marcus Carr (5) after making a field goal in the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Penn State in the NCAA tournament, Saturday 18 March 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas guard Sir’Jabari Rice (10) battles for a rebound with Penn State guard Seth Lundy, behind, in the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas’ Marcus Carr falls while going over Penn State’s Myles Dread during the second half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State’s Jalen Pickett fouls Texas’ Christian Bishop during the second half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State guard Seth Lundy (1) outruns Texas forward Dillon Mitchell (23) in the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas forward Brock Cunningham (30) battles for a loose ball with Penn State guard Seth Lundy, right, in the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Penn State guard Jalen Pickett, left, battles for a rebound with Texas forward Dylan Disu (1) in the second half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas forward Brock Cunningham (30) battles for a loose ball with Penn State guard Seth Lundy, right, in the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas’ Marcus Carr drives by Penn State’s Myles Dread during the second half of a second half college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State guard Jalen Pickett (22) outruns Texas forward Timmy Allen (0) in the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas forward Dylan Disu tries to pass around Penn State guard Evan Mahaffey, left, in the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas guard Tyrese Hunter (4) celebrates with teammate guard Sir’Jabari Rice (10) in the first half of a second round college basketball game against Penn State in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Penn State’s Jalen Pickett tries to get past Texas’ Marcus Carr during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Texas’ Sir’Jabari Rice stops Penn State’s Jalen Pickett during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Texas guard Sir’Jabari Rice (10) tries to steal the ball from Penn State guard Jalen Pickett (22) in the first half of a second round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, Mar. 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas interim head coach Rodney Terry leads his team in the first half of a second round college basketball game against Penn State in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry directs his team in the first half of a second round college basketball game against Texas in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Penn State’s Jalen Pickett shoots over Texas’ Marcus Carr during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State guard Jalen Pickett (22) is fouled by Texas forward Dylan Disu (1) in the first half of a second round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa . (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Penn State’s Jalen Pickett shoots over Texas’ Marcus Carr during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State’s Seth Lundy catches a loose ball in front of Texas’ Dillon Mitchell during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State’s Evan Mahaffey tries to get past Texas’ Arterio Morris and Marcus Carr during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State’s Jalen Pickett tries to get past Texas’ Timmy Allen during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry reacts during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State’s Camren Wynter gets past Texas’ Arterio Morris during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Penn State’s Jalen Pickett paces Texas’ Brock Cunningham during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Squarcio)
- Texas forward Brock Cunningham gets past Penn State guard Jalen Pickett, right, in the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas forward Dylan Disu (1) shoots over Penn State forward Kebba Njie, left, in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Texas forward Christian Bishop (32) loses control of the ball as he outruns Penn State forward Michael Henn (24) in the first half of a second round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Penn State guard Jalen Pickett (22) battles for a loose ball with Texas forward Dylan Disu (1) in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Terry said the game plan was to stick paint all night, and the Longhorns scored more than half their runs — 40 — in the painted area.
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“We knew we had a size advantage in there, and whether they were man or zone, we really wanted to get the ball there,” Terry said.
The Nittany Lions rallied from an 11-point second half deficit and briefly took the lead with about five minutes left. Penn State capped a 10-0 run with a transition layup by Seth Lundy at 4:48 to give his team a 58-55 lead.
However, Disu scored eight of the next 10 points for the Longhorns to spark a 10-0 run. At the end of the run, Texas led 65-58 with 55 seconds left.
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“We’ve been tested in battle over and over again,” said senior forward Timmy Allen. “It was nothing new. We play in the best conference in the country and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Dylan had another special night and, on the defensive end, the boys came in with a lot of energy.
Texas led 31-23 at halftime despite missing all eight 3-point attempts. The Nittany Lions were 2-for-13 from 3-point range, so the areas of play that got both teams through the first round were completely absent to start the game. Penn State warmed up from outside in the second half to close out the game, hitting 6 of 15 3-point shots to finish 8-of-28 from that range.
The game was tied twice in the first half, but after a layup by Rice with 7:02 left, the Longhorns led the rest. Disu scored six of the Longhorns’ last eight points of the first half, and the final bucket came from a Marcus Carr long jumper just before the buzzer.
For Penn State, five players scored in double figures led by Camren Wynter’s 16 points. All-American guard Jalen Pickett had 11 points and 10 rebounds, but he also had seven of Penn State’s nine turnovers. Andrew Funk and Myles Dread each scored 12 points and Lundy 11 points.
The Longhorns advance to the Sweet 16 to face 11th seed Pittsburgh or 3rd seed Xavier at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
More details and postgame quotes will be added to this story later. Check back for updates
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