Recap: Texas vs. Fresno State

Austin, TX (Sports Network) - A pair of free throws by Sheldon McClellan with 8.9 seconds remaining proved to be crucial as the Texas Longhorns held on to defeat the Fresno State Bulldogs, 55-53, in season-opening action at Frank Erwin Center.

McClellan finished with a game-high 20 points for the Longhorns (1-0) as he knocked down all 14 of his attempts at the charity stripe. Also scoring in double figures for the hosts was Javan Felix with 10 points, adding nine rebounds. Jonathan Holmes shot just 2-of-7 from the floor, resulting in six points, but was huge on the glass as he pulled down a game-high 14 boards in the victory.

The Bulldogs (0-1) were paced by Marvelle Harris who accounted for 11 points off the bench. Before fouling out, Kevin Foster cleared 11 rebounds for the visitors, but he also shot just 1-of-12 from the floor. Kevin Olekaibe, the top returning scorer for FSU, was held to only seven points on 3-of-15 from the field and 1-of-7 behind the three-point line.

Both teams had their issues shooting from the floor in the first half and each held a five-point lead at one stage or another, yet after 20 minutes of action they were tied at 25-25.

In the second half Texas made a total of only eight field goals and missed on all three opportunities behind the three-point line, but the squad managed to outscore the visitors at the charity stripe in the period, 14-6, and that proved to be critical.

In a game that saw 12 ties and eight lead changes, the Longhorns survived a dismal 1-of-13 showing on the perimeter by outscoring Fresno State at the line, 18-6 overall.

The Longhorns picked up the victory despite playing without sophomore guard Myck Kabongo who was held out of this meeting while the NCAA continued their investigation into possible rules violations and his future eligibility stemming from allegations of receiving improper benefits. Kabongo, named to the preseason All-Big 12 Conference Team, averaged 9.6 points and 5.2 assists per game in his first season under head coach Rick Barnes.