Vokietaitis scores 16 points as No. 7 Texas beats Gardner-Webb 98-50
Texas forward David Punch (13) dribbles past Gardner-Webb center Sam Nosakhare (32) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. Credit: AP/Stephen Spillman
AUSTIN, Texas — Matas Vokietaitis scored 16 points, and No. 7 Texas rolled to a 98-50 rout of Gardner-Webb on Thursday night.
Vokietaitis, a junior celebrating his 22nd birthday, shot 6 for 8 from the field and had seven rebounds in 20 minutes. The 7-foot Vokietaitis has converted 15 of 17 shots in two games.
Texas (2-0) outscored Gardner-Webb 54-10 in the paint.
Gardner-Webb (0-2) went 12 minutes spanning the first and second half without a field goal. Texas outscored the Runnin’ Bulldogs 33-2 during that stretch.
Isaiah Johnson, a sophomore who transferred to Texas from Colorado, scored 15 points. Freshmen Marcus Spears Jr. and Joe Sterling each had 13.
Another freshman, Austin Goosby, scored 11 points and accounted for five of the Longhorns' 13 steals. Sterling had three 3-pointers after making four in the season-opener against Chicago State on Monday.
Mikhail Pocknett and Jamias Ferere led Gardner-Webb with 12 points apiece. The Runnin' Bulldogs were out shot just 61% to 33%. They hit just 5 of 23 3-point attempts and committed 23 turnovers that Texas turned into 31 points. Texas had 28 fast-break points.
Texas forward Marcus Spears Jr. scores against Gardner-Webb during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. Credit: AP/Stephen Spillman
Texas made a 21-0 push to finish the first half with a lead of 54-20. Gardner Webb, picked to finish last in the nine-team Big South Conference by the league's coaches, failed to score during the final six minutes of the half.
The Longhorns used their size and muscle for a 28-6 advantage in the paint during the period. The Runnin' Bulldogs ran into more difficulty on the perimeter, missing on 11 of their 12 3-point attempts while committing 10 turnovers. They shot 31% overall in the half after hitting 25.5% in their season-opener, an 86-46 loss at UConn.
Up next
Gardner-Webb: Hosts Erskine on Wednesday
Texas: Hosts Grambling State on Monday
