AUSTIN, Texas — With a game-high 26 points by Matas Vokietaitis leading five players in double figures, No. 7 Texas rolled to a 93-62 win over Grambling State on Monday.

The Longhorns never trailed in their last tune-up before facing their first Power Four opponent of the season. Texas (3-0) will face Baylor at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center on Sunday, renewing a rivalry that was put on the shelf after the Longhorns left the Big 12 for the SEC after the 2023-24 season.

While Vokietaitis led Texas in scoring, Sean Miller’s talented freshmen made their presence felt. Joe Sterling (13 points, 3-for-4 from 3-point range and two steals) and Marcus Spears Jr. (12 points, four rebounds and two assists) reached double figures in scoring, with Austin Goosby and Bo Ogden making the most of the minutes they’re getting as Mikey Lewis recovers from a foot injury, which required surgery (Oct. 1).

Vokietaitis recorded at least 10 points and five rebounds for the 18th consecutive regular-season game. He has the longest such streak by a Texas player since Kevin Durant reached those marks in the last 21 games of his lone season on the Forty Acres.

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Grambling State coach Patrick Crarey II: "My opening statement is that Texas is very good. Vokietaitis is un-guardable. Sean Miller has been great coach, probably, since I was in middle school."

Crarey saw David Punch two years ago when he was a freshman at TCU (Crarey was the head coach at Florida A&M). He said Punch fits in perfectly with what Texas is trying to do this season.

"He's the glue guy," Crarey said.

Crarey: "This is like a real Sean Miller defensive team."

Crarey on Marcus Spears Jr., who he saw at a TABC event this summer: "What he's done with his body in the four months he's been here is crazy."

Grambling State has Duke and Kentucky on the schedule, but Crarey told reporters at SWAC media day that Texas will probably be the most talented team the Tigers play this season.

"When you've got a potential No. 1 or No. 2 pick in 2028 coming off your bench, you're a really good basketball team," he said.

Another solid win for the Longhorns. Vokietaitis continues to impress, but one guy who's really starting to grow on me is Joe Sterling. Honestly, I didn't know much about him coming into this season, but the more I watch him, the more I like what I'm seeing. The shooting is impressive. 3-for-4 from beyond the arc tonight, and he looks comfortable letting it fly.

This freshman class is showing some real promise. If Sterling keeps shooting like this and continues to develop, Texas may have a pretty special player on its hands. I'm becoming a believer!

Edited 33 minutes ago33 min by HonkEm

I think the Baylor game will be a much bigger test of where this team is at. But the fact they've consistently score 90+ points in 3 games is a good sign, imo. Regardless of competition.

David Punch on playing off Matas: "I don't think any team can guard both of us... Pick your poison."

Punch takes pride in playing defense. Teams will have to game plan for Texas' physicality, he said, which is a credit to Matas for how much he battles.

"It's electric," Punch said of Joe Sterling's hot start. "He threw me a great lob."

2 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

David Punch on playing off Matas: "I don't think any team can guard both of us... Pick your poison."

😂 I like the confidence! Somebody tell the opposing coaches to bring extra aspirin. They're going to need it. Pick your poison indeed!

3 minutes ago, AusMOJO said:

I think the Baylor game will be a much bigger test of where this team is at. But the fact they've consistently score 90+ points in 3 games is a good sign, imo. Regardless of competition.

True. They scored 93 points and the starting backcourt of Johnson and Goosby only had a combined five of them. Just shows, even without Lewis, how good this offense is. Free throw shooting must improve overall for this team to be at its best long term. I think Johnson and Goosby are two of the best free throw shooters on the team, so that will help.

Sean Miller wasn't happy with the last eight minutes of the game.

"We let down," he said.

On free-throw shooting (27-for-42 tonight): "We have a free-throw program that we believe in. We do it so guys have a process that they can call on now that we're in real games... We left a lot of points on the table at halftime... What percentage we shoot from the free-throw line will be a big indicator of our offensive success."

Miller has a lot of respect for Scott Drew and the Baylor program. Sunday's game is a test, but it's a test because the Longhorns are playing an NCAA Tournament-caliber team.

"The object isn't to learn now," he said. "It's to win and learn."

Miller said Joe Sterling is "as good a shooter as I've been around."

Just now, Jeff Howe said:

Miller said Joe Sterling is "as good a shooter as I've been around."

"He's been really consistent shooting the ball," Miller said.

Sterling is a 6-foot-4 guard with a quick release who can shoot it off the catch or the bounce.

Just now, Jeff Howe said:

"He's been really consistent shooting the ball," Miller said.

Sterling is a 6-foot-4 guard with a quick release who can shoot it off the catch or the bounce.

Miller said Bo Ogden, "can really shoot the basketball, too."

Sterling, Ogden and Mikey Lewis are guys Texas will count on to make shots at a high clip.

Isaiah Johnson and Austin Goosby combined for six assists and one turnover. Miller liked how they found guys and played clean basketball.

"They did a great job setting the tone," Miller said. "I thought they played well."

6 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

Sean Miller wasn't happy with the last eight minutes of the game.

"We let down," he said.

We got stuck at 88 points for almost 4-5 minutes.

7 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

Sean Miller wasn't happy with the last eight minutes of the game.

"We let down," he said.

Horrible finish... doesn't matter long term, but it was turrible

Miller doesn't want to jinx Matas' improvement in controlling his fouls, but he's improved by playing in the same place for the same staff two years in a row.

"No one ever will question his love for the game and his work ethic," Miller said.

It was good to get John Clark in the game.

"He's spent a lot of time working," Miller said. "He's still getting the rust off... John's gift to our team is rebounding... He's an important part of our future and it was good to see him out there."