AUSTIN — So much for Jordan Pope’s slow start to the season.
The Texas Longhorns guard scored a career-high 42 points at home on Thursday night to lead the Burnt Orange to a 98-62 victory over New Orleans. Pope went 8-of-12 from the 3-point line, 15-of-21 from the field and also added two rebounds. This marked the most points scored by a player in the Moody Center’s three-year history.
“When your teammates are throwing the ball and your coach is calling your number, and the hoop is 10 times bigger, it feels like pretty much everything you throw goes in,” Pope said.
The Longhorns lost leading scorer and freshman guard Tre Johnson, who missed his second straight game with a hip injury.
“Tre is taking it day to day right now,” Texas head coach Rodney Terry said. “Tre has made a lot of progress. He’s feeling very well and we hope to have him back sooner rather than later.”
New Orleans was led by guards Dayday Hunter (16 points) and Jah Short (15 points). James White (14 points) and MJ Thomas (11 points) also reached double figures.
Former Texas guard and current New Orleans assistant coach Javan Felix returned to Austin to be honored before the game on the Jumbotron.
Texas extended its lead to 16-0, but the offense was forced to an eight-point lead by Karma, but New Orleans fought back with a 12-2 run thanks to the efforts of Hunter and Short. The Privates cut the lead to 21-16, and Texas responded with a 12-0 run led by Calma and Pope.
Both Short and Hunter showed great scoring ability to keep New Orleans in the game going into halftime. At halftime, the Longhorns led 44-28.
The second half was the Pope show. He was unconscious from the field and at one point made 6 of 8 from deep, including three in a row. He broke the 40-point seal with three free throws, but was sent off shortly after. His scoring outburst allowed the Longhorns to pull away from a New Orleans team that had been chipping away at the lead to start the second half.
The Longhorns will conclude nonconference play on Dec. 29 against Northwestern State.
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