The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas State
Atchley leads No. 4 Men's Basketball past Texas State, 96-81
12.15.2007 | Men's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- His team had rolled up 96 points and improved to 10-0. Yet all Texas coach Rick Barnes wanted to talk about was how badly the Longhorns (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today, No. 4 AP) played defense.
Too many times, Texas State blew past Texas guards on drives to the basket for close shots or kicked the ball out for wide-open 3-pointers.
Eventually, Texas' overall talent won out and carried the Longhorns to a 96-81 victory, but Barnes made it clear that more performances like that and his team won't be undefeated for long.
"It's the defense where we just weren't solid. Some guys didn't do the job they needed to do," Barnes said.
To force his point, Texas stayed in man-to-man defense the entire game and played no zone that might have stopped some of the dribble penetration by Bobcats guards.
"I told them that this is what we need. I just don't think they handled it very well," Barnes said. "I don't think we got better, and that's what disappointed me."
The bright spot was Connor Atchley's 26 points and 10 rebounds. D.J. Augustin overcame a 1-of-7 shooting start to score 24 points and A.J. Abrams scored 20.
Atchley was 9-of-11 shooting and his 14 points in the first half helped dig the Longhorns out of an early deficit. His 3-pointers in the second provided the big shots when the Longhorns needed them.
Texas State had cut a 20-point Texas lead to 11 when Atchley buried a 3-pointer from the right wing with just under three minutes to play.
"Connor is the only guy who actually did a pretty good job," Barnes said.
Texas State (5-4) used a rotation of 13 players to keep fresh bodies on the court and constant pressure on Augustin when he handled the ball.
It worked when Augustin tired near the end, but by then the Bobcats' early lead had disappeared and it was too late to rally for a possible upset.
Playing their first game in a week, the Longhorns got off to a sloppy start with three quick turnovers and misfires on several open looks. The Longhorns missed eight of their first nine 3-pointers and didn't take their first lead, 16-15, until midway through the first half.
Texas State led for much of the first half and kept it close by hitting six 3-pointers and driving for close shots.
"We knew they were going to push at us and they have some great guards," Augustin said. "We still have a lot of work to do."
Atchley finished the half with a flurry, scoring 14 points over the final 10 minutes to help Texas take a 42-40 lead into the break.
Texas seemed ready to seize control with a 14-6 run that opened up a 56-46 lead when Atchley hit a 3-pointer. Augustin hit two tough shots off spinning drives in the lane to build the lead to 64-50.
The Bobcats rallied to cut it to six on Corey Jefferson's short jumper before they started to miss the shots that were falling in the first half. Texas also started stretching its lead from the free throw line, hitting 22 of 30 free throws in the second half.
"We really played and competed with the belief we should win the basketball game," Texas State coach Doug Davalos said. "The second half, there was a run that knocked us back."
Augustin scored seven straight points and Atchley hit another 3-pointer from deep in the left corner to make it 76-62. When Abrams hit a 3-pointer from right side and Atchley followed it with a 3-point play after a tough putback, the Longhorns led 86-65.
"Connor keeps getting better every day," Augustin said. "He's done everything for us."
Brent Benson scored 15 points for Texas State.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM
- Texas is 10-0 for the first time since 1981-82, when the Horns started 14-0
- Texas has won nine of its first 10 games by at least 15 points
- Texas has logged more assists than turnovers in every game in 2007-08
- Texas is 80-7 (.920) against in-state foes during the Rick Barnes era
- Texas has posted its two highest rebounding totals of the season in each of the last two games - 49 at Rice, 48 vs. Texas State
- Texas leads the all-time series vs. Texas State, 37-5, including 19 consecutive wins
- Texas posted season-highs for free throws made (31) and attempted (42)
- Texas 80-5 in home games over the last six seasons
- Texas is 105-9 (.921) in home games against unranked (AP) opponents during the Rick Barnes era
- Texas is 66-6 (.917) in non-conference home games during the Rick Barnes era. The Horns have won 60 of their last 62 non-conference home contests.
- Texas had at least three players score 20 points in a game for the second time in 2007-08. UT also had four players score 20 or more points against Tennessee
- The 2-point halftime lead was the slimmest of the season for the Longhorns who have held the advantage at halftime in every game this season
A.J. Abrams
- Made a three-point field goal for the 48th consecutive game
- Scored 10 or more points for the 47th time in 82 career games, including 38 of the last 45
- Scored 20 or more points for the sixth time in 2007-08 and the 15th time in his career
- Became the fifth UT player to ever make 200 or more career three-point field goals
Connor Atchley
- Scored a career-high 26 points. His previous best was 22 against Tennessee earlier in the season
- Scored 10 or more points for the sixth time in 2007-08 and the ninth time in 74 career games
- Scored 20 or more points for the second time in 2007-08 and his career
- Logged a career-high with four three-point field goals. He had previously made three against New Mexico State earlier in the season
- Equaled a career-high with nine field goals. He had previously made nine field goals against Tennessee earlier in the season
- Logged 10 or more rebounds for the second time in 2007-08 and his career
- Recorded his second double-double of the his career, both this season
- Logged a career-high three steals. He had previously logged two steals on three separate occasions
D.J. Augustin
- Has averaged 22.6 points over the last seven games
- Scored 10 or more points for the ninth time in 2007-08 and the 34th time in 45 career games
- Scored 20 or more points for the fifth time in 2007-08 and the 12th time in his career
Clint Chapman
- Scored a career-high seven points. He previously scored six points against Arkansas-Monticello.
- Logged a career-high two blocks. He previously blocked one shot against Arkansas-Monticello.
Damion James
- Logged 10 or more rebounds for the sixth time in 2007-08 and the 16th time in his career
- Reached double digits in rebounding for the fifth consecutive game, averaging 12.2 boards per game during the span
Justin Mason
- Scored 10 or more points for the fifth time in 2007-08 and the 16th time in 45 career games
TEXAS POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Rick Barnes
On Texas State: You go back to a year ago, they came in here and played really hard and did a good job from a coaching standpoint. They played the way they exactly wanted to play, and they got their style of basketball. Obviously, we like to get up-and-down the floor, but we did a poor job of executing. We've talked about not putting all of the burden on D.J. [Augustin] to handle the ball, but he didn't get the help he needed from the other guards. We had a couple of guys that just didn't play very well. We had some opportunities early and we missed a lot of wide-open shots.
On missing a lot of shots in the first half: We got great shots, but we just didn't make them. But that isn't what bothers me, I don't have a problem with that. It's the defense I am concerned about. We weren't solid and some guys didn't do the job they needed to do. We got happy feet and we were jumping around. We were trying to make great plays instead of being solid. We can't afford to make great plays because we haven't proven that we can consistently stop people.
On staying with man-to-man defense: We wanted the guys to work tonight. We can get big on the zone, but I don't want to do that. Right now, we need work with our man defense and there is no better way than to play against a team that does what they did. I told them that this is what we need, I just don't think they handled it very well.
JUNIOR FORWARD Connor Atchley
On hitting more shots: D.J. and A.J. gave me some good looks so I just wanted to give them some assists. I am getting more comfortable on the court and practicing every day to get better.
On the play of Texas State: Everyone is a good team so you can't underestimate anyone. They press hard and they're everywhere so you have to make sure you stay in control and play your own pace.
SOPHOMORE GUARD D.J. Augustin
On his teammates' contributions: I was kind of off and my teammates stepped up and made the big shots. Connor played great and that is what we need from everybody. That is why we're a team; we all need to step up.
On the play of Texas State: We knew that they were a great team and they were going to push the team at us. They're real quick and they have some great guards. We had to man up and play man-to-man defense the whole time. Coach wants us to get better and play in front of the ball and I think we did OK. We still have a lot of work to do and improve on that situation.
On the play of Connor Atchley: Connor keeps getting better everyday. He's working hard in practice, he has a lot of confidence right now and that is what we need. He is knocking down shots and making big stops on defense. He's done everything for us, he's playing great and he just keeps getting better.
TEXAS STATE POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH DOUG DAVALOS
On the progression of the team: I think we got some of the shell shock after the A&M game out of our system, and came and really played and competed with the belief that [we] should try to win the basketball game. That's where we have to be progressive in this program. Somewhere along the lines you get talented young men, which we've started to assemble, and you get them to believe they can win, and then you keep moving forward from there.
On the strategy coming into the game: I really like the way Texas is playing this year. They're really playing fast and letting [D.J.] Augustin create a la Phoenix Suns style. We knew we had to keep it out of his hands. They have good guards all over the court, but any second and third option besides D.J. bringing the ball up the floor and running their offense is better to us, so our emphasis was to keep it out of his hands. After that, if we could contest enough shots, play them even on the boards and go for every rebound with a purpose, we had a chance to win the game.
