Mitchell’s big day leads Horns to win
AUSTIN — Dillon Mitchell had 14 points and 13 rebounds as No. 19 Texas beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 71-55 on Friday.
Texas shot 48% from the field and had five players score in double figures. Max Abmas scored 17 points, and Dylan Disu and Tyrese Hunter each had 11 points. Brock Cunningham finished with 10.
Mitchell’s 13 rebounds matched his career best. The 6-foot-8 sophomore grabbed 10 rebounds in the second half en route to his fifth double-double this season. He had one doubledouble last year.
Mitchell has improved his rebounding average from 3.9 per game last season to 9.7 this year. Mitchell, who was challenged by his coaches to become a better rebounder, was reminded at halftime that he had only three.
“The whole staff,” Mitchell said. “That’s what I want my identity to be — defensive rebounding. So if I’m lacking, they’re gonna call me out.”
Texas (9-2) led by 15 with about 11 minutes left in the second half. Texas A&MCorpus Christi pulled within five on Dayne Prim’s two free throws with 6:51 to go, but Disu responded with a couple of big baskets for the Longhorns.
The 6-foot-9 Disu played 22 minutes in his second game after returning from offseason foot surgery. He had three blocks, one that started a fast break that he finished with about five minutes left.
“I think my condition is much better than I thought it was gonna be, but it’s definitely not to where I want it to be,” Disu said.
Dian Wright-Forde led the Islanders (6-6) with 10 points.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi averages 23 freethrow attempts per game, but it went 9-for-14 at the line against Texas.
“I thought we had a shot when there was six minutes left,” coach Jim Shaw said. “We fought. We put ourselves in position to have a competition the last six minutes.”
Big picture
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: First-year coach Shaw, an assistant at Texas A&M Corpus-Christi the last two seasons, is setting a foundation for his program with 11 new players. He replaced Steve Lutz, who took over at Western Kentucky after leading the Islanders to a 24-11 season that included a victory against Southeast Missouri State in the NCAA Tournament First Four round.
Texas: For five seasons, Cunningham has provided rugged energy for the Longhorns, competing for rebounds and loose balls while also making a few timely 3-point shots. Now he appears to have a sidekick. Chendall Weaver, who was the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year last season at Texas-Arlington, transferred to Texas and has brought athleticism and intensity as a sub. The 6foot-3 Weaver scored twice during the first half Friday on lob passes from Abmas, one a dunk, the other an off-balance layup. In the second half he blocked a shot by 6-8 Garry Clark.