AUSTIN, Texas (Interstat) — The Texas Longhorns, powered by a dominant second-half surge and a career night from freshman center Matas Vokietaitis, pulled away from the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks for a 94-71 victory in nonconference men’s basketball action Monday night at the Frank Erwin Center.

A crowd of 10,888 saw the Longhorns (9-4) overcome a spirited first-half effort from the visiting Hawks (4-13) to secure a comfortable win before entering Southeastern Conference play. The game’s defining stretch came early in the second half, where Texas transformed a modest six-point halftime lead into an insurmountable advantage.

Texas led 40-34 at intermission after a first half that saw the Hawks hang tight, thanks largely to the outside shooting of Joseph Locandro. The Australian forward connected on three first-half three-pointers to keep UMES within striking distance. The Longhorns, however, opened the second period with a decisive 15-4 run, establishing a 55-38 lead and effectively putting the game out of reach.

The catalyst for the run, and the game’s most impactful player, was the 7-foot Lithuanian freshman Vokietaitis. He scored 22 points, showcasing an array of post moves, dunks, and free throws, while also contributing a block and several key rebounds in 29 minutes of action. His physical presence inside overwhelmed the Hawks, particularly after UMES forward Joseph Locandro was assessed a flagrant foul early in the second half, sending him to the bench with four personals and disrupting the Hawks’ rotation.

Texas complemented Vokietaitis with balanced scoring from its backcourt. Jordan Pope scored 21 points, including five three-pointers, while Tramon Mark added 17. Dailyn Swain provided a versatile line of 14 points, four assists and relentless defensive activity, contributing to 18 UMES turnovers. Chendall Weaver chipped in seven points off the bench.

Maryland-Eastern Shore, which has faced a grueling early-season road schedule, was led by Jaden Cooper’s 13 points. Zion Obanla added 10 points, and Locandro finished with 12 points despite his second-half foul trouble. Point guard Michael Teal managed the game well for the Hawks, dishing out six assists.

The most important sequence of the game occurred between the 19:49 and 17:51 marks of the second half. With the Longhorns leading 42-36, they unleashed a devastating 13-2 burst. It began with a Tramon Mark pull-up jumper, included a powerful dunk from Vokietaitis assisted by Swain, and was punctuated by a series of free throws after Locandro’s flagrant foul on Vokietaitis. This sequence took less than two minutes of game time but stretched the lead to 17 points and sapped the competitive energy from the Hawks, who never got closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

Texas shot efficiently from the field, while Maryland-Eastern Shore struggled from three-point range after the break. The Longhorns also capitalized at the free-throw line, attempting 46 free throws to the Hawks’ 30, a testament to their aggressive attack on the basket.

The victory extends Texas’ home nonconference winning streak and provides momentum as they prepare to open SEC play against Mississippi State on Saturday. The Longhorns’ upcoming schedule is among the nation’s most difficult, featuring road trips to Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky in January.

Maryland-Eastern Shore, which has now lost five straight games, will look to regroup as it returns to MEAC competition on Jan. 3 against Morgan State. The Hawks’ challenging pre-conference slate, which included road games at Georgia, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Nebraska, was designed to prepare them for league play, though it has resulted in a difficult win-loss record.

The final score reflected the pregame expectations, as Texas was a heavy favorite. The total points scored, 165, surpassed the over/under line of 140.5 by a wide margin, largely due to the fast-paced second half where the Longhorns scored 54 points.