The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
New Mexico State (Semifinal Round)
Abrams' career-high day carries Men's Basketball past New Mexico State
11.23.2007 | Men's Basketball
D.J. Augustin added 25 points, Connor Atchley had 15 and the Longhorns (4-0) hit 16 3-pointers in a wide-open contest that paired schools that played a first-round game in the NCAA tournament in March.
Jonathan Gibson had 21 points to lead New Mexico State (2-3) in the game at the new Prudential Center. Justin Hawkins added 19, Paris Carter had 14 and Hatila Passos 13 for the Aggies, who never overcame an early 21-point deficit that resulted when they had trouble handling Texas' pressure defense.
Texas will play the winner of the second game between West Virginia and No. 7 Tennessee for the title on Saturday.
Abrams hit 9-of-12 from long range and came five days after he set career highs with 30 points and eight 3-pointers against Arkansas Monticello. Abrams came within one of the school record for 3-pointers, set by Al Coleman against Kansas State in 1997. The junior guard might have tied or broken the mark but he had to leave the floor for a couple of minutes with 10:54 to play when he seemingly developed a cramp in his right calf.
It marked the second straight game that Texas has scored at least 100 points. It is 93-9 in those contests.
The Aggies shot almost 61 percent from the field in the first half and still trailed 57-46.
The difference was Texas' pressure defense and its ability to hit the 3-pointer. The Longhorns forced 14 turnovers and hit 11-of-19 from long range, with Abrams tying a school record with six in the half.
Abrams hit three 3-pointers and Justin Mason had two and a layup in a 23-3 spurt that turned an 8-7 deficit into a 30-11 lead that the Longhorns never lost.
New Mexico State made a couple of runs in the second half but each time they got close, Abrams and Augustin stepped up. Augustin scored 20 points in the final 20 minutes.
The two also combined on a 9-0 run after New Mexico State got within 62-55 with 16:12 to play. Augustin hit two jumpers and Abrams made a 3-pointer.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM
- Texas' .739 (17-of-23) field goal percentage in the second half ranks as the fifth-best clip in school history [since 1965-66] and is the highest mark since the Horns shot .762 (16-of-21) in the second half against Oklahoma on Jan. 15, 2000
- Texas is off to a 4-0 to start the season for fourth time in the last six seasons
- Texas scored 100 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time since Feb. 9-11, 2002 when the Horns scored 104 vs. Colorado (104-95) and 103 against Kansas (103-110)
- The Horns improved to 93-9 all-time when reaching the 100-point plateau
- Texas is 3-1 all-time vs. New Mexico State
A.J. Abrams
- Nine three-point field goals was one shy of the school record (10 - Al Coleman vs. Kansas State (1/12/97)) and is tied for second all-time
- Six three-point field goals in the first half equaled the school record with six other occasions in school history, including a total of four by Abrams
- Abrams is averaging 30.5 points over the last two games, shooting 21-of-32 from the field with 17 3-point field goals
- Made a 3-point field goal for the 42nd consecutive game
- Made multiple 3-point field goals for the 15th consecutive game
- Scored 10 or more points for the 42nd time in 76 career games, including 33 of the last 39
- Scored 20 or more points for the third time in 2007-08 and the 12th time in his career
- Scored 30 points or more for the second consecutive game, his only two 30-point efforts
- Logged a career-high 31 points, topping his 30-point effort in UT's last game against Arkansas-Monticello
- With 10 field goals, came up one shy of his career-high 11 in UT's last game against Arkansas-Monticello
Connor Atchley
- Equaled a career-high with 15 points. The previous 15-point effort came against Baylor on February 17, 2007
- Set career-highs with six field goals and three 3-point field goals. His previous bests were five field goals on four occasions and two trifectas on two occasions.
- Scored 10 or more points for the third time in 2007-08 and the fifth time in 68 career games
- Posted double digits in the scoring column in three consecutive games for the first time in his career
D.J. Augustin
- Scored 10 or more points for the third time in 2007-08 and the 28th time in 39 career games
- Scored 20 or more points for the first time in 2007-08 and the eighth time in his career
- Equaled a career-high with four steals. He had recorded four steals on five prior occasions
- Set a career-high with 11 field goals. The previous high was nine on two occasions.
- Posted at least six assists for the 26th time in 39 career games
- Posted 10 or more assists for the second time in 2007-08 and the seventh time in 39 career games
- Logged a double-double for the second time in 2007-08 and the fifth time in 39 career games (all point/assist double-doubles)
Damion James
- Scored 10 or more points in a game for the second time in 2007-08 and the 14th time in 39 career games
Justin Mason
- Recorded a career-high four steals, all coming in the first half
- Scored 10 or more points in a game for the second time in 2007-08 and the 13th time in 39 career games
Alexis Wangmene
- Equaled a career-highs with eight points and four free throws
- Has blocked two or more shots in each of the last three games
