Texas kept rolling Monday night, and the formula looked familiar: pressure, efficiency and another lopsided result. The Longhorns handled Grambling State 93-62 to stay unbeaten through three regular-season games, and they’ve done it with a level of control that has made the early stretch look almost routine.
Sean Miller’s team has been piling up points at a pace that stands out even this early in the year, averaging 100 points per game through three contests. The three victories also give Texas its first start to a season with three wins by at least 30 points since the 2003-4 season.
The biggest problem for Grambling State was Matas Vokietaitis. The junior center finished with 26 points, tops for both teams, and came just two points short of matching his career high. It was his second 20-point game of the season, and he got there by bullying his way to easy looks inside, going 8-for-12 from the field and 10-for-12 at the free throw line.
He also made his presence felt everywhere else. Vokietaitis grabbed nine rebounds, including five on the defensive end, and added a block and a steal.
“(Matas) Vokietaitis, he’s unguardable on our level,” Grambling State head coach Patrick Crarey II said postgame.
David Punch helped make the frontcourt even harder to deal with. The junior forward scored 10 points and paired with Vokietaitis to give Texas a two-man interior punch that kept Grambling State on its heels.
Punch put it plainly afterward: “It’s so easy to play off of him (Vokietaitis),” junior forward David Punch said. “I don’t think any team can really guard both of us; they got to pick your poison.
You want to guard him, he’s going to be open; guard me, he’s going to be open. So really it’s a double-edged sword.”
Together, the two combined for 36 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and four steals, a stat line that showed just how much damage they can do when they’re working in tandem. Miller said the fit has been obvious from the start.
“Those guys, they’re a great combination,” Miller said. “I think they both are grateful that the other one is their teammate.
I think Punch loves the fact that he doesn’t have to play the five often and that he has a bigger guy in there with him. And I think Matas relishes having a partner that can take some of the punishment off of him.”
Texas also got a lift from freshman guard Joe Sterling, who came off the bench and scored 13 points. He shot 4-for-6 overall and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, continuing to show the shooting touch that has already caught Miller’s attention.
“In my time, he’s as good of a shooter as I’ve been around,” Miller said. “You have to recognize his role as the sniper.
He runs around with a red dot on his head, is he open? If he’s open, you’ve got to find him.”
The Longhorns will leave the Moody Center for the first time this season over the weekend. Their next stop is San Antonio, where they’ll meet former Big 12 opponent Baylor in the San Antonio Hoops Showdown at the Frost Bank Center on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.
In Other News...
LSU Brings One Dangerous Edge Into Texas Clash Despite Clear Concerns
Texas is coming off a win over Missouri and now turns its attention to LSU, a matchup that looks far less comfortable on paper than the Tigers recent results might suggest. LSU has been productive enough on offense to stay dangerous, ranking well in points per game, yards per game and third-down conversions, which means the Longhorns cannot afford to let drives linger or give the visitors extra chances to settle in.
The concern for LSU is that the same unit has also shown some rough edges, especially in the red zone and with quarterback Sam Leavitts interceptions, so Texas has a chance to force the issue if it can tighten up near the goal line. Defensively, though, LSU brings a different kind of problem, with a strong sack rate and the ability to create disruption even while leaving itself exposed to big plays, which gives this game a volatile feel before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Will Muschamp May Already Have Texas Best Answer For Lane Kiffin
Will Muschamp has spent enough time around Lane Kiffin to know the challenge by now, and Texas will get another crack at it when the Longhorns head to Tiger Stadium to face LSU. Their coaching history has leaned Kiffins way overall, but Muschamps last answer came in emphatic fashion in 2023, when his Georgia defense overwhelmed Ole Miss and smothered the kind of offense Kiffin usually wants to unleash.
For Texas, that meeting matters because Muschamps approach has already shown it can disrupt Kiffins rhythm. The Longhorns are walking into a game where the defensive coordinators past success against one of college footballs most inventive offensive minds could shape the plan, even if the bigger test is proving that blueprint still works in Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Heads To Baton Rouge Facing Its Biggest Test Yet
Steve Sarkisian had plenty to like after Texas handled Missouri, especially with the Longhorns extending their run to six straight wins over ranked opponents. The latest step forward also brought a little extra recognition for Arch Manning, whose performance against Missouri earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors and gave Texas another sign that its offense can rise to the moment when the competition tightens.
Now the challenge gets sharper in Baton Rouge, where Sarkisian called LSUs defense the most talented group Texas will see all season. For a team that has already shown it can win big games, this trip is about more than carrying momentum - it is about preparation and offensive efficiency against a front that will ask far more questions than Missouri did. [Read more 🡒]