Davis 3-pointer helps Texas to victory over Texas Tech
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Eric Davis Jr. has finally regained the confidence he developed as a 3-point marksman last season.
He scored 15 points, including a 3-pointer from the right corner with 28.8 seconds remaining and Texas beat Texas Tech 62-58 on Wednesday night.
Davis, who hit 38 percent from 3-point range as a freshman last year, lingered below 20-percent shooting from distance much of this season. But he has hit 10 of 21 in the last three games, including 3 of 6 against Tech.
''I've been hitting a few shots lately, so it gives me the ability to be more aggressive hunting shots,'' Davis said.
Texas (9-13, 3-6 Big 12) has not lost to Tech in Austin since 1996, a span of 21 victories.
Jarrett Allen led Texas with 19 points and eight rebounds. Andrew Jones added 11, including a free throw with six seconds left that secured the victory, and seven assists.
Keenan Evans led the Red Raiders with 15 points. Anthony Livingston scored 14, Niem Stevenson added 12 and Zach Smith grabbed 13 rebounds. Tech (15-7, 3-6) fell to 0-5 in Big 12 road games.
Livingston made one of two free throws to tie the game at 58 with 53.7 seconds after Davis gave Texas the lead with a driving layup.
''They've been in (and lost) a lot of close games,'' Tech coach Chris Beard said. ''Tonight they had a different poise. They played great the last five-six minutes.''
Texas used a 13-4 run over the first five minutes of the second half to take an 11-point lead, but a jumper by Livingston capped an 11-2 spurt and Tech led 55-52 with 5:04 to go. The Red Raiders missed their final eight shots from there.
''Give Texas credit with their length, defenses,'' Beard said. ''They mixed up defenses a little bit.''
BIG PICTURE
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders began the game ranked second in the Big 12 and 12th nationally in field-goal percentage (49.3), their best mark since the 1988-89 season. They shot a season-low 35.6 percent Wednesday.
Texas: Jones, a freshman trying - and sometimes struggling - to move from playing off the ball to point guard, had back-to-back assists during the Longhorns' 13-4 run to start the second half. He capped the surge with a 3-pointer.
COOL GUY
Jarrett Allen, the 6-foot-11 freshman, does not display much emotion on the court.
''I've always been this way, Allen said after his 19-point performance against Texas Tech. ''People say I've been too calm.''
Beard sees no reason for Allen to change.
''I like his demeanor,'' Beard said. ''Sometimes what can be misunderstood as unemotional is actually toughness.''
UP NEXT
Tech hosts Oklahoma on Saturday night. The Red Raiders lost at Oklahoma 84-75 on Jan. 14. Oklahoma has won four of the last five against Tech.
The Longhorns are at TCU on Saturday afternoon. On Jan. 11, TCU snapped a 14-game losing streak over a period of 30 years in Austin with a 64-61 victory.