The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Tech
Men's Basketball overpowers Texas Tech, 80-51
02.20.2007 | Men's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A.J. Abrams scored 18 points and No. 19 Texas stayed in the thick of the Big 12 race with an 80-51 win Tuesday night over Texas Tech.
Kevin Durant added 17 points for the Longhorns (20-7, 10-3), who had all five starters score in double figures but didn't have a 20-point scorer for the first time this season.
The win keeps Texas a half-game behind Texas A&M for second in the Big 12 and a game behind leader Kansas. The Longhorns play both in their last three games.
Alan Voskuil scored nine points to lead the Red Raiders (17-11, 6-7), who shot just 29 percent. Jarrius Jackson, who came in averaging 20.7 points, was 2-of-10 for 7 points.
It was the Longhorns' second rout of the Red Raiders at home in the last two seasons. Texas beat Tech by 34 in Austin last season.
This one left Tech coach Bob Knight sitting and stewing on the bench most of the game as the Longhorns built a big early lead and never let the Red Raiders threaten.
Texas is 17-2 against Tech in nine seasons under coach Rick Barnes, who is 12-2 against Knight, the winningest men's coach in college basketball.
Durant, who scored 30 or more points in six of his first nine Big 12 games, hasn't scored more than 21 in the last four.
Justin Mason provided the Longhorns' scoring punch in the first half, hitting all five of his shots.
Durant, who had 37 points and 23 rebounds in a win over Tech in Lubbock earlier this season, scored his first basket on a steal and dunk and hit two 3-pointers in the first half. All of them came in a 24-8 run that opened up a 37-15 lead.
With Durant drawing Tech defenders, Mason had all kinds of room to roam to the basket or pull up for open jumpers. Texas shot 58 percent and led 48-26 at halftime.
Durant, who has made a case for national player of the year honors, is finding his shooting touch going through long dry spells as the season wears on. His first shot of the second half was an airball 3-pointer, but he followed it with a lighting-quick spin and 10-foot fadeaway jumper.
D.J. Augustin hit a 3-pointer to open the second half and Mason fed Damion James with a nifty pass for a dunk. Abrams' second 3-pointer made it 62-35 with 12 minutes to play.
Durant took over the game late in the second half against the Red Raiders last month but didn't have to do much but watch his teammates score in this one. Texas kept bombing away from 3-point range, with Durant hitting one and Abrams popping two more to make it 73-40.
Defensively, the Longhorns never let Jackson become a factor. He had only one basket in the first half and didn't score in the second until making two free throws when Durant was hit with a technical foul with eight minutes left and Texas leading by 29.
POSTGAME NOTES
Team
- Texas won its 20th game of the season, extending its school-record streak of 20-win seasons to eight.
- Texas is 18-2 against Texas Tech in the Rick Barnes era, including a 9-0 record in Austin.
- Texas extending its winning streak over Texas Tech to five games.
- Texas is 73-7 (.913) against in-state foes during the Rick Barnes era.
- Texas holds a 67-52 lead in the all-time series against Texas Tech, and has won 36 of the last 45 meetings.
- Texas is 120-17 (.876) at home under Rick Barnes, including a 60-11 record (.845) in Big 12 Conference home games.
- Texas won its 100th home game to just nine losses against unranked opponents in the Rick Barnes era.
- Texas is 14-1 at home this season and has outscored its opponents by an average of 85.1-63.1, a difference of +22.0 ppg.
- Each of the five starters for Texas made at least one of the team's first six field goals which came by the 16 minute mark of the first half. All five starters also scored at least seven points each in the first 14:30 minutes of the game and all five reached double figures with 12:14 left in the second half.
- All five starters scored in double figures for the third time this season. The previous two occasions both came against Oklahoma State (Jan. 16, Feb. 12).
- In the last two games in Austin, Texas has outscored Texas Tech by a combined score of 160-97 (80.0 ppg-48.5 ppg, a difference of +31.5 ppg).
- In Texas' last two home games, it has outscored its opponents by a combined score of 163-105 (81.5 ppg-52.5 ppg, a difference of +29.0 ppg).
- Over the last four games, Texas has held its opponents to an average of 60.0 ppg (240) on 85-of-232 (.366) FG shooting.
- Texas did not have a player score at least 20 points for the first time in 27 games this season.
- Texas has made at least one 3-pointer in 537 consecutive games.
- Texas' .857 FT percentage (12-14) is a season high (.850, 17-20, vs. Iowa State).
- Texas is 9-1 this season when holding an opponent to under 40 percent from the field.
- Texas Tech's .288 FG percentage, 15 FGs and 51 points are season lows for a Texas opponent in Big 12 play this season.
- Texas Tech's 15 FG made tie the season low for a Texas opponent (Alcorn State). Their three 3-pointers also tie a season low (Texas Southern).
- Texas hit five of its first six 3-point attempts in the first 12 minutes of the game.
- Texas recorded a 10-0 run from 14:33-10:45 in the first half to stretch a 15-9 lead to 25-9.
- Texas' 22-point halftime lead was its largest this season in Big 12 play.
- Texas set its largest lead of the season against a Big 12 opponent when it led 73-40 with 8:38 remaining in the game. The previous high was set with the 83-54 final score against Oklahoma State (Feb. 12).
A.J. Abrams
- Abrams has scored in double figures in 22-of-27 games this season. He has reached 15 points in 14 of those games.
- Abrams has made at least one 3-pointer in 30 consecutive games dating to last season.
- Abrams has made at least three 3-pointers in 19-of-27 games this season.
D.J. Augustin
- Augustin has scored in double figures in 20-of-27 games this season.
- After hitting 3-of-5 3-pointers, Augustin is now 12-of-19 (.632) over his last seven games.
- Augustin has made at least one 3-pointer in 20-of-27 games.
- Augustin recorded at least three 3-pointers for the third time this season.
- Augustin has record at least six assists in 18-of-27 games.
Kevin Durant
- With 17 points Durant has 368 in Big 12 play this season, moving into fourth on the Big 12 single-season conference-games scoring list.
- Durant made at least three 3-pointers for the 11th time this season
- Durant has made at least one 3-pointer in 22-of-27 games this season.
- Durant has reached double figures in scoring in all 27 contests.
Damion James
- James recorded the fourth double-double of his career.
- James reached double figures in scoring for the 10th time this season.
- James has collected at least seven rebounds in 13-of-27 games this season.
- James has recorded at least one block in seven consecutive games has a total of 11 blocks in those games.
- In his last four games, James is 21-of-27 (.778) in field goals.
Justin Mason
- Mason scored in double figures for the 11th time this season. He reached that mark in the first half with 12 points.
- Mason has made at least one 3-pointer in 19-of-27 games.
- Mason reached the nine-point mark in the first 10 minutes of the game. He had a season average of 8.9 ppg entering the contest. Mason converted his first four field goal attempts of the game in that stretch. He finished the first half with 12 points on 5-of-5 FG.
- Mason made at least five field goals for the seventh time this season.
TEXAS POSTGAME QUOTES
Rick Barnes, Head Coach
On the defensive effort against Tech: I think they respect Tech's offense, and if you don't play them smart, they will cut you up. We had constant movement tonight and weren't spread out. During that first half, I'm not sure we can play any better than what we did. I thought we were really good in the first half.
On Kevin Durant's performance: We never started this season saying that Kevin Durant had to score 20 or 25 points every game. He got on a roll where he did that for while, but he's not trying to do that every game. He's willing to pass and share the ball. I don't think you can look at us as being a young team now. We've played 27 games and these guys have seen a lot of different things and adjusted.
On the defensive effort by Damion James and Justin Mason: Those guys are important. When Damion is aggressive and active, that's when we play our best basketball. It's the subtle details they do defensively that make the difference for us. They take care of those things, and that's very important.
Justin Mason, Freshman Guard
On the defensive improvement: I think tonight was a huge improvement for us. We didn't want to give them any second chances. Our post guys have been working really hard in practice, and I think that really helped us tonight.
A.J. Abrams, Sophomore Guard
On setting the defensive tone: I wanted to come out and establish the defense early. Coach told us before the game that he wanted us to focus on defense and go hard the full 40 minutes.
On what Coach Barnes said to him before this game: He stays on me and says to keep working hard in practice and on defense. He always pushes us to get better, and we're never satisfied. That's the sign of a good coach, and when he stops talking, I'll get worried.
On how the team has progressed: We all realize it's late in the season, and we're trying to play every game like it's our last game. We have to keep things in perspective, and we still have to worry about these next few games coming up.
TEXAS TECH POSTGAME QUOTES
Bob Knight, Head Coach
On the game: We were beaten by a team that played much, much better than we did. From the beginning, we were a team that couldn't play at the same pace as the other team and that just carried through the whole game. I don't know what else to say, we just got beaten badly. It's not real easy to get shots when Durant isn't guarding anybody. I wish we could design an offense that all we do is shoot lay-ups, but I haven't figured that out in my 40 years of coaching.
On Texas' pace: I don't think one kid established a pace, I think the whole team played at a pace that was considerably beyond our pace that we played at. The kid that really plays and is a pace setter is (Damion) James. I am really impressed with how hard he plays every night.
Jarrius Jackson, Senior Guard
On Texas' defense: Abrams is a very good defensive player and he stuck with me all through the game. I have to give it to their whole team tonight, they all played good defense.
On Texas Tech's shooting: Our shot was off tonight. We settled for a lot of jump shots and they played good defense to keep us out of the lane and keep us from driving. We just have to get back in the gym and work on shots these next few days and get ready for our next game.
Martin Zeno, Junior Guard
On the game: They played very a good two-three zone and good man-to-man defense and we just weren't executing tonight. They were sagging a lot of players throughout the game and it was hard for us to drive and get the shots that we wanted. We couldn't hit our outside shots tonight so it was hard to execute.
On getting to the tournament: I think we need to win out from now, because we have talked about how an 8-8 record will not get us to the tournament.
