Brooklyn, NY – Tre Johnson had a challenging night on offense but ultimately proved crucial for Texas, scoring the team’s last six points from the free-throw line in a tense finish. The Longhorns held on to defeat Syracuse 70-66 on Thursday night at the UKG Legends Classic, despite nearly squandering a 16-point lead in the second half.
With this win, Texas (4-1) advances to face the winner of the matchup between Texas Tech and Saint Joseph’s in the tournament final on Friday. Meanwhile, Syracuse will compete against the losing team from that game.
Although Johnson, a freshman averaging 23.5 points per game, struggled throughout the night—shooting just 4 of 18 from the field and 1 of 7 from three-point range—he managed to contribute 16 points, largely thanks to a strong performance at the free-throw line where he went 7 of 8.
Arthur Kaluma also made a significant impact with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Chendall Weaver nearly recorded a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. As a team, Texas shot 47% from the field and converted 12 of 14 free throws.
For Syracuse (3-1), J.J. Starling led the scoring with 16 points, supported by Eddie Lampkin, who added 14 points and six assists. Chris Bell and Jyare Davis contributed 11 points each, but the Orange struggled from the line, hitting only 9 of 18 free throws despite shooting 46% overall.
As the game wound down, Texas held a slim one-point lead when Johnson was fouled, allowing him to extend the advantage with crucial free throws, including two with 21.3 seconds remaining that gave the Longhorns a five-point cushion.
Although Starling responded with a jumper and Jaquan Carlos made one of two free throws, Johnson sealed the victory by returning to the line and sinking two more shots with just 9.3 seconds left.
Texas started strong, racing out to a 9-0 lead and building a 16-point advantage in the first half. However, Syracuse cut the deficit to 41-30 by halftime. The Longhorns shot an impressive 61% in the first half, but the second half proved more challenging as Syracuse fought back.
The game turned in favor of the Orange briefly, with Lampkin leading a 14-2 run, allowing Syracuse to take its first lead after scoring a bucket and free throw. Nevertheless, a timely follow-up basket from Weaver with under three minutes remaining secured the lead for Texas, which they would not relinquish.
