NEW YORK -- Max Abmas hit a fallaway jumper at the buzzer as No. 19 Texas outlasted a stiff challenge from Louisville to earn an 81-80 victory Sunday in the Empire Classic.
In a game with 21 lead changes and 14 ties, Abmas gave the Longhorns (4-0) the dramatic win off a successful inbounds play.
"It felt like an NCAA Tournament game," Texas Coach Rodney Terry said.
Chandel Weaver inbounded to Brock Cunningham, who quickly got the ball back to Weaver. After Weaver passed to Abmas at the top of the key. Abmas moved to his right, made three dribbles and released a shot over Skyy Clark that cleanly went in.
"We just kind of had a play where I started on the block, came up to get the ball and then it was kind of spread out," Abmas said. "I was able to get my spot, a couple of dribbles and knock down the game-winner."
After making the shot, Abmas was mobbed by his teammates.
Before Abmas hit his dramatic shot, Louisville held an 80-78 lead on a three-pointer by Clark with 81 seconds left that slightly bounced up and in. After Texas was called for a shot clock violation with 36 seconds left, Louisville also got called for a shot clock violation with seven seconds left to allow the Longhorns to win it.
"We were fortunate to have the ball at the very end and Max made a big time play, a big time shot to close the game out," Terry said.
Kadin Shedrick scored a career-high 27 points for Texas. Abmas added 14 as the Longhorns shot 46.3%. Abmas, who led 15th-seeded Oral Roberts to a first-round victory over Ohio State in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, made 6 of 19 shots.
In other Top 25 games on Sunday, Kylan Boswell scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half and No. 3 Arizona (5-0) scored 20 consecutive points spanning the end of the first half and start of the second in a 101-56 rout of Texas-Arlington in Tucson, Ariz. Boswell shot 6 for 10 from the floor and 5 for 6 in the second half, including 3 three-pointers. Oumar Ballo added 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, and Caleb Love had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Arizona shot 52.1% overall and 57.9% in the second half. Shemar Wilson led UTA (2-2) with 19 points. ... Tristen Newton had 23 points and 11 rebounds and No. 5 UConn pulled away in the second half to beat Indiana 77-57 in the Empire Classic. After winning their first three games by an average of 39 points, the Huskies (4-0) got their fourth double-digit win thanks largely to Newton, who also had six assists. Malik Reneau led the Hoosiers (3-1) with 18 points. ... Tournament MVP Nijel Pack scored 20 of his 28 points in the first half against his former school, and No. 12 Miami topped Kansas State 91-83 to win the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas championship. Former Arkansas State star Norchad Omier scored 23 for the Hurricanes (5-0), who are essentially assured of tying a school record by being in the AP Top 25 for the 17th consecutive week when the new poll comes out today. Wooga Poplar and Matthew Cleveland each scored 15 for Miami. Cam Carter scored 28 points -- 24 in the second half -- and Arthur Kaluma had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Kansas State (3-2). ... Tre Holloman scored 17 points and Jaden Akins added 13 to help No. 18 Michigan State roll to a 81-49 win over Alcorn State in East Lansing, Mich. Coen Carr had 11 points for the Spartans (3-2), who played without leading scorer Tyson Walker (23.0 ppg), who did not dress due to illness but sat on the MSU bench in street clothes. Holloman started in place of Weaver, scoring 12 of his 17 points in the first half. Jeremiah Gambrell led Alcorn State (1-4) with 12 points and Jeremiah Kendall added 11.
Texas's Max Abmas, left, puts up the wining shot over Louisville's Skyy Clark during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)