Texas Basketball: Watch Royce Hamm Jr. Deny a Sooner Alley-Oop

Hamm continues to be a force in the paint

Royce Hamm Jr. made a highlight defensive play, denying what looked like a sure-fire alley-oop dunk from Oklahoma's Austin Reaves to Alondes Williams.

#Longhorns lead the Sooners 30-26 at the break!
Royce Hamm Jr: 8 points, 8 rebounds, and one massive denial in 15 minutes of action. #HookEm 📺: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/YoL2CvErlz

— Dennis de la Pena (@dennisonfox7) March 4, 2020

Hamm Jr.'s eight points and eight rebounds didn't fully tell the story of Hamm Jr.'s first-half dominance in the paint. He was in on every loose ball and seemed to contest every shot near the rim for the Longhorns as his team built a 30-26 lead at halftime.

It's nothing new for the Texas big man, who came up with crucial back-to-back plays in the Longhorns' upset of Texas Tech on Saturday. First, he broke into the paint and put tipped in a missed shot that gave Texas a two-point advantage. Just a few seconds later he contested a dunk that led to another Texas bucket that all but sealed the win.  

Hamm Jr. caught an elbow while guarding the Sooners Kristian Doolittle and briefly had to leave the game with a towel over his head, but returned to action just a few minutes later. 

The Longhorns are on the road in Norman tonight trying to extend a four-game winning streak. The Sooners won the first meeting between the two rivals earlier this year 72-62. Both teams are 18-11 overall and 8-8 in conference play competing for not only positioning in the Big 12 standings but also jostling for spots in the NCAA Tournament. 

What do you think?

What's your favorite moment from Royce Hamm Jr. so far this year? Where does this block rank in your book? Comment below.