Texas Muscles Through Oklahoma Game to Build SEC Momentum

The No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners traveled down to Austin expecting a tough Red River Rivalry battle, and that’s exactly what the No. 4 Texas Longhorns gave them.

Head coach Vic Schaefer and his team led through all four quarters on Sunday at the Moody Center, taking care of business in front of an energetic home crowd.

With College GameDay present on the Forty Acres, the Longhorns advanced their conference record to 6-2.

Texas rallies around X-factor

Feb 1, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Justice Carlton (11) takes a jump shot against Oklahoma Sooners forward Brooklyn Stewart (21) during the second half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Both point guard Rori Harmon and forward Madison Booker had characteristically impressive showings on Sunday, along with several other Texas players. However, one contributor earned the highest praises of Schaefer and her teammates: forward Justice Carlton.

“Justice is like our difference maker,” Harmon said following the matchup. “I’ve realized over the course of this season, she makes a difference in our team when she does things like she did today.”

Carlton recorded 16 points and eight rebounds across 28 minutes of play against the Sooners, scoring seven points more than her season average so far. Booker emphasized the importance of having her competitive spirit on the court.

“When Justice has that look in her eyes that she’s ready to dominate her opponent, protect the rim and get rebounds and be aggressive, I think we’re a very hard team to beat,” she said. “She helps us in so many ways she doesn’t know about.”

Sooners surge in third quarter to stay within striking distance

Oklahoma Sooners basketbal — Feb 1, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Aaliyah Chavez (2) controls the ball against Texas Longhorns guard Bryanna Preston (1) during the second half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Despite trailing throughout the matchup’s entire duration, the Sooners didn’t falter in the second half of this matchup. In fact, they seemed to respond to their 16-point halftime deficit with an added element of energy and grit.

“They’re just relentless,” Schaefer said. “They just never stop coming at you.”

Schaefer then detailed a particular statistic that demonstrated the tenacity of his opponent. Even though the Longhorns outscored them 7-2 in fastbreak points in the first half, the Sooners ultimately finished the game with 15 fastbreak points to Texas’ eight.

Oklahoma outscored Texas 46-38 in the second half, making it difficult for the Longhorns to hold onto their lead until the final buzzer.

With a convincing rivalry game in the books, Texas will now shift gears to what’s ahead on the schedule. Having kept the longest active home court winning streak in the nation alive, they look to claim their 39th consecutive victory at the Moody Center against the LSU Tigers on Thursday.