Senior forward Dylan Disu recorded a team-high 18 points to lead No. 7/7 Texas (26-8) to a convincing 76-56 win against No. 3/4 Kansas (27-7) in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship final on Saturday night in T-Mobile Center.
Disu, who averaged a team-best 14.7 points and 8.3 rebounds while converting 17-of-23 (.739) field goals during the three postseason league tourney contests in Kansas City, was named the Most Outstanding Player at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship.
The Longhorns claimed their second Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship title, as UT previously earned the crown in 2021. Texas set a school single-season record with its ninth victory against an AP Top 25 opponent, as the Longhorns improved to 9-6 against AP Top 25 teams this year. UT went 8-5 against AP-ranked foes in 2003-04. The Longhorns recorded their 14th Quad 1 victory of the season, second-most nationally behind Kansas (17), and moved to 6-3 against AP Top 11 opponents this year.
Disu converted 7-of-9 field goals and 4-of-4 free throws while adding six rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes. Graduate Marcus Carr posted 17 points while hitting 8-of-15 field goals to go along with three rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes. Graduate Sir'Jabari Rice also tallied 17 points while connecting on 7-of-12 field goals and adding three assists in 36 minutes.
Disu scored UT's opening six points of the contest and the Longhorns grabbed a 10-7 lead following a Dillon Mitchell layup at the 16:10 mark. Kansas used a 6-0 spurt to take a 13-10 advantage after a Joseph Yesufu layup with 15:01 left, before Texas responded with a 9-0 run over the next three-and-a-half minutes to build a 19-13 cushion following a Christian Bishop layup at the 11:36 mark.
Kansas ran off six-straight points and evened the score at 19-19 after a Jalen Wilson three-pointer with 9:36 remaining. Another Wilson jumper gave the Jayhawks a 28-25 lead at the 6:09 mark, but the Longhorns answered with a 10-0 run over the next 3:23 to build a 35-28 advantage following an Arterio Morris three-pointer with 2:44 left. Kansas trimmed the margin to 35-33 after a Yesufu jumper at the 1:24 mark, before the Longhorns closed the half with back-to-back baskets from Rice and Carr to take a 39-33 lead at the break.
A Wilson layup pulled the Jayhawks to within 47-41 at the 17:00 mark, before Texas used a 6-0 spurt over the next 3:32 to increase its cushion to 53-41 after a Morris free throw with 13:28 remaining. The Longhorns extended their advantage to 60-45 following a Carr layup at the 9:20 mark.
A Wilson three-point play cut the deficit to 60-48 with 9:03 left, but Texas responded with a 10-2 run over the next four-and-a-half minutes to build a 70-50 cushion after a Morris dunk at the 4:36 mark. The lead did not dip below 18 points for the remainder of the contest.
The 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Selection Show will air beginning at 5 p.m. Central on Sunday, March 12.