The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
UT Arlington
Men's Basketball dominates inside in 85-70 win over UT-Arlington
12.15.2004 | Men's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- P.J. Tucker had 17 points and 10 rebounds and No. 14 Texas used a big first half to beat Texas-Arlington 85-70 on Wednesday night.
While the Longhorns (7-1) spent the first six games of the season feasting from beyond the 3-point line, they got a second straight strong outing from their post players against the Mavericks (4-3).
Jason Klotz and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 14 points and Brad Buckman added 13 points and eight rebounds for Texas.
Klotz has scored in double figures every game this season and has become one of the Longhorns' most consistent scoring threats after averaging just 4.7 points over the previous three seasons.
Tucker, who moved from power forward to small forward this season and was supposed to do most of his scoring while facing the basket, routinely worked his way inside to post up defenders for close baskets and rebounds.
Texas wasted little time in building a big lead. Shooting 56 percent in the first half, the Longhorns used a 15-4 run punctuated by 3-pointers from Kenton Paulino and Sydmill Harris to make it 37-19.
Tucker converted a steal into a layup and a three-point play, Paulino buried another 3 and Klotz hit a long turnaround jumper as the buzzer sounded for the final basket of the half. Klotz had a defender draped all over him and was looking to pass before looked over his shoulder at the clock winding down and decided to put up the shot.
The Longhorns tapered off sharply in the second half against a scrappy defense that hassled Texas with fullcourt presses and halfcourt traps. Texas hit just two of 13 shots during one stretch as Texas-Arlington cut it to 65-52 with about 8 minutes left.
After the torrid first half, the Longhorns shot just 37 percent in the second and routinely misfired from the free throw line, hitting just 18 of 30.
Texas snuffed the Mavericks' rally when Buckman and Aldridge hit consecutive baskets and Tucker scored eight points down the stretch to put the game away.
Texas has won 34 of its last 35 home games and extended its dominance against opponents from the Lone Star state. The Longhorns are 50-3 against in-state opponents under coach Rick Barnes.
The road gets much tougher this weekend. The Longhorns travel to play No. 6 Wake Forest on Saturday.
