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Texas 77, Oklahoma 66: Recap, analysis, reaction and more from the Longhorns' victory 

Texas earned perhaps its biggest victory of the season on Saturday afternoon, salvaging its NCAA Tournament hopes with a 77-66 win over No. 23 Oklahoma.

Saturday's win ended the Longhorns' three-game losing streak, bringing the burnt orange to 16-11, 6-8 Big 12. Next up for head coach Shaka Smart and Co. will be a road trip to Kansas State on Wednesday night.

Here are three takeaways from the Longhorns’ victory.

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Longhorns slow down Young

Texas’ defense had a tall task on Saturday afternoon, facing off against player-of-the-year candidate Trae Young. The Sooners’ freshman entered the contest leading the nation in points and assists per game, although he had struggled of late. Before facing-off against the burnt orange, Young was 1-17 from beyond the arc in his last two games.

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Behind stellar defense from junior Kerwin Roach, Texas put the clamps on Young for much of Saturday afternoon. The freshman did end his day with a game-high 26 points, but he went just 7-21 from the field, including a 1-12 start. Young's struggles set the tone for a scuffling Sooners' offense, who shot 31 percent, going 8-30 from three.

Osetkowski sees resurgence

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Dylan Osetkowski entered Saturday’s battle with a slump similar to Young. In his past five games, the junior transfer shot under 30 percent from the field, making two of his last 13 three pointers. But unlike Young, Osetkowski was able to bounce back in Norman.

Texas’ forward tallied a team-high 21 points against  Oklahoma, adding six boards in the process. After a nightmare first half of February, Osetkowski established himself as a primary scoring threat for the burnt orange, serving a crucial role next to front-court mate Mo Bamba. For Texas to have a shot at the NCAA Tournament, Texas’ leading scorer will need to build on his performance from Saturday afternoon.

Roach provides boost

Along with his impressive defense on Young throughout the afternoon, Roach added a strong performance from the field in Norman. Two first-half threes keyed the Longhorns’ three-point lead going to the locker room, and Roach ended his day with 12 points on 5-9 shooting.

In an uneven season for the burnt orange offense, Roach has been one of the Longhorns’ more consistent forces. He’s shot 35 percent from three in 2017-18, scoring in double digits in six of his last eight games. Paired with his status as one of the conference’s best defenders, Roach has become a valuable chess piece for head coach Shaka Smart.

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