Andrew Jones propels Texas past Cairns, 71-69, in Australia

With 3.9 seconds left in the game, Texas Longhorns sophomore guard Andrew Jones broke a tie against the Cairns Taipans by converting a layup to give the ‘Horns a 71-69 victory against the NBL franchise.

The victory came two days after a loss to Melbourne United, which also plays in the top professional league in Australia, giving Texas a signature victory on its four-game circuit of Oz.

Before hitting the game-winning layup after securing a loose ball on the left baseline, Jones had hit a mid-range jump shot to tie the game in the final minute. The ‘Horns got a defensive stop on the following possession and then then used fierce defensive pressure to keep the Taipans from attempting a final shot.

Jones, who had declared for the NBA Draft this spring before opting to return to school, scored 11 points and added four assists.

In the fourth quarter, junior guard Eric Davis Jr. scored 10 of his 12 points to put Texas in a position to win the game late with the strong play from Jones.

The leading scorer was junior Dylan Osetkowski, who continued his impressive start in burnt orange and white with 15 points and six rebounds. Freshman forward Mohamed Bamba scored all 11 of his points in the second half after a slow start.

The final contest on the four-game exhibition tour is on Monday, August 21 against the Illawarra Hawks, another NBL franchise. The game tips at 7 p.m. Australian time (4 a.m. CT) in Sydney and is available to watch via live stream.