Three Johnson poured a career pile of 32 points, including eight in the last 3 1/2 minutes, when Texas roared back to upset no. 15 Kentucky 82-78 on Saturday in an important Southeastern Conference game in Austin, Texas.
Longhorns (16-10, 5-8 sec) dragged off four at half-time and 69-64 after an arrangement by Kentucky’s Amari Williams with 3:51 to play. Texas jumped for good via a 14-1 run that contained a three-point game by Johnson, four points from Tramon Mark, a backlash dunk of Kadin Shedrick and culminated with a jumper and a couple of freorwes by Johnson, The The, The The The Longhorn’s beginner phenom.
Johnson also took hold of a team high nine returns, and Mark made 26 when Longhorn’s snapped a three-game losing line. Texas played without Arthur Kaluma, its second leading goal scorer and top rebonder.
Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 20 points while Williams added 18 and 12 returns and Ansley Almonor had 11 points. Wildcats (17-8, 6-6), which lacked the next leading point Jaxson Robinson and Lamont Butler due to injuries, had a two-game winning line snapped.
Wildcats led by as many as seven early before Texas gathered to bind the game at 15-all on a 3-point of Jordan Pope on the 11: 55 brand. Five points in a row by Mark ran Longhorns at the front 20-17 with 10:35 to play, and Texas pushed his lead to five on a layout by Johnson with 8:50 left until half time.
Kentucky swung back and used an 11-6 spurt to bind the game at 30-all after four straight points with Almonor, with the last two who come on a layout with 4:21 left. Wildcats regained the lead on a 3-point of Trent Noah with 3:44 left and pushed his advantage to five before the Texas band the game at 37-all on a layout of land.
Kentucky scored the last four points for half to carry a 41-37 edge during the break.
Johnson led all scores before half time with 15 while Mark added 11 for Texas. Williams had nine to put on Wildcats and Almonor got eight.
-Field level media
