The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas-San Antonio
Men's Basketball tops Texas-San Antonio, 58-37
11.12.2007 | Men's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- D.J. Augustin scored 19 points and No. 16 Texas overcame first-game shooting struggles with stout second-half defense to pull away from Texas-San Antonio for a 58-37 win Monday night.
The Longhorns scored their fewest points in a season opening win since 1982 but held the Roadrunners to 18 points in the second half and 27 percent shooting for the game.
Texas (1-0) returns four starters from last year's NCAA tournament team but sorely missed the fifth -- Kevin Durant, last season's Big 12 scoring and rebounding leader and the national player of the year -- as the Longhorns struggled to find any offensive rhythm in their first game.
Devin Gibson scored 13 points to lead Texas-San Antonio (1-1).
Texas misfired from inside and out against the Roadrunners in the first half, shooting 7-of-22. A.J. Abrams, who set a Big 12 record with 120 3-pointers last season, was 0-for-5 in the first half. Augustin's short jumper at the buzzer gave Texas a 22-19 lead.
The misfires kept coming in the second half. Abrams airballed a long shot and a small but vocal group of Roadrunners fans started taunting the Longhorns in their home arena.
Augustin finally provided some offensive punch with consecutive drives to the basket. Justin Mason converted a three-point play and Augustin hit three free throws after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt to push the lead to 36-25 with just over 11 minutes to play.
Texas took it over with defense from there. The Longhorns held the Roadrunners scoreless over a 5-minute stretch and Abrams made his first 3-pointer with 7:50 left. He hit another in a 22-6 run that made it 50-30.
Texas is still waiting for top recruit Gary Johnson to be cleared to play because of an unspecified heart condition. Johnson played in one of the Longhorns' exhibition games but has not been cleared by team doctors for the regular season
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM
- Held a team to fewer than 40 points for the first time since Dec. 30 2005 when the Horns beat Prairie View A&M 110-38
- 37 points is the fewest allowed by Texas in a season opener since 1945-46 (23 vs. San Antonio YMCA)
- 37 points is the fewest allowed by Texas in a season opener vs. a collegiate team since 1942-43 (27 vs. Southwest Texas)
- 37 points is the fewest allowed by Texas in a game since Feb. 8, 2004 (37 vs. #22 Oklahoma)
- 12 field goals allowed is tied for the fourth lowest total since 1960-61 and the fewest since yielding 12 to Colorado on March 10, 2000
- Won a season opener by 20 points or more in a season opener for the fifth consecutive season
- Moved to 83-19 all-time in season openers
- Moved to 8-2 in season openers under Coach Barnes
- Moved to 87-15 all-time in home openers
- Moved to 26-5 all-time in home openers at the Erwin Center
- Moved to 6-0 all-time against UTSA
- Moved to 76-7 all-time against current members of the Southland Conference
- Moved to 18-0 against current members of the Southland Conference under Coach Barnes
- Moved to 76-7 against in-state opponents under Coach Barnes
- Moved to 100-9 against unranked opponents under Coach Barnes
- Moved to 75-5 in home games over the last six seasons
- Moved to 61-6 in non-conference home games under Coach Barnes
A.J. Abrams
- Made a 3-point field goal for the 39th consecutive game
- Made multiple 3-point field goals in seven consecutive games
- Posted double digits in scoring for the 39th time in 73 career games
- Scored all 11 points in the second half.
D.J. Augustin
- Posted double digits in scoring for the 26th time in 36 career games
- More than doubled his scoring output from the 2006-07 season opener when he logged seven points in 22 minutes against Alcorn State
Justin Mason
- Posted double digits in scoring for the 12th time in 36 career games
TEXAS QUOTES
HEAD COACH Rick Barnes
On the team's performance: We did defend against a team whose plan was obviously to hold to ball and make it a short possession game. We were better in the second half where did a better job rebounding and adjusting to awkward shots. Offensively is where we got hurt in the first half, we missed lay ups and had turnovers. We didn't execute our ball screen but games like these help you, and we can learn a lot from the way the played tonight.
On holding UTSA to 26 percent shooting: That is good but I'm not sure that you can give us all the credit. IT was a low possession game, we did okay. It all comes back to discipline where we stay in front. For the most part again, 26 percent (against) will win you a lot of basketball games even with a subpar offense like we had tonight.
SOPHOMORE GUARD D.J. Augustin
On the team's play tonight: We tried to play hard on both games on the floor. Tonight our offense didn't do so well so we tried to take it over on the defense.
On the play of the freshmen: I think they played great. Clint and Alexis are learning everyday and working hard, trying to get better. I think they are going to be a great asset to the team, they are now.
SOPHOMORE GUARD Justin Mason
On being a little lighter this season: I feel great going in the season having lost a few pounds. I feel more explosive and I feel that I can play longer.
JUNIOR GUARD A.J. Abrams
On playing a close first half against UTSA: Their game plan was designed to keep the game close and they did a good job of executing the plan. When we went to the locker room, we decided that we needed to play harder and kind of get them out of their comfort zone which I think we did well.
On being scoreless the first half: I got some looks I just didn't knock the shots down. Everyone did a good job of picking up my slack in the first half and fortunately for me, I got it going late in the second half.
UTSA QUOTES
HEAD COACH BROOKS THOMPSON
Opening statement: I think as far as our basketball team went, we have to come and give a lot of credit to The University of Texas. They are a talented basketball team with a great basketball coach. As far as our perspective, we wanted to come down here and win this basketball game. I think from a stand point of what our young men did and what we were dealt with in our injuries and things like that, I can't say anything but very positive things about our basketball team. I think in the first 20 minutes, we executed our game plan exactly how we wanted to do it. We were trying to hold the ball and shorten the game as much as we can, and we were trying to put a lot of emphasis on rebounding the ball. With our starting lineup of four guards, I can't say how proud I was of our guys for those 20 minutes and how they rebounded the basketball and executed our game plan.
On first half of the game: The first 20 minutes, our guys played like they had to. They were diving after loose balls and going and hitting people on box outs and basically hitting bigger people on box outs and keeping them out of there. We were out rebounding The University of Texas at halftime and still only ended up being out rebounded by two, by a basketball team with three of their front-line guys sitting on the bench next to me.
FRESHMAN GUARD DEVIN GIBSON
On the positives of the game: Really just playing hard at the beginning of the game, and we got four quick points off of their mistakes. I think they started with a little lull but they quickly broke out of that.
On the difference down the stretch: Down the stretch, there was a three minute period where we had a big lull. They had a few key offensive rebounds, and I think the lead went from six points to 18 really quickly. We just couldn't come back and rebound from that.
