The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Tulane
No. 7 Men's Basketball downs Tulane, 76-51
11.18.2008 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2008
Box Score 
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Box Score |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Texas forward Dexter Pittman fondly remembers the late Pete Newell's kind words.
"He told me I was a beast," Pittman said.
For a 6-foot-10, 300-pound basketball player trying to use his body to his best advantage against smaller opponents, it was a huge compliment from one of the game's greatest tutors.
Pittman lived up to Newell's words Tuesday night, scoring 10 points and grabbing six rebounds in 15 minutes as No. 7 Texas cruised to a 76-51 win over Tulane. It was Pittman's second career start and his first since attending Newell's camp for big men in Las Vegas last summer.
Pittman said Newell, who died Monday, had him on the court early every morning that week. Newell spoke to him often, rattling off the names of the Hall of Fame players who had learned from the Hall of Fame coach.
"He told me I was one of the biggest big men he had ever had through the camp," Pittman said. "He was a nice guy."
Damion James scored 16 points to lead the Longhorns (2-0), who had five players score in double figures. A.J. Abrams added 15 points, hitting Texas' only three 3-pointers of the game.
Texas also used a stellar defensive effort to turn the game into a rout by halftime. The Longhorns had 16 steals and forced 25 turnovers, while holding Tulane to 31 percent shooting overall.
Kevin Sims scored 11 points to lead Tulane (1-1), which trailed by as many as 37 points in the second half.
"They saw we couldn't handle the pressure," Tulane coach Dave Dickerson said. "We couldn't rebound tonight, we couldn't pass tonight. Whenever you can't pass and catch, it's tough."
Texas coach Rick Barnes promised he would use a big lineup this season and Pittman had promised he could be a much more effective player than his first two years when he struggled with his weight and conditioning.
Pittman had started to come on strong for Texas in the NCAA tournament last season. Against Tulane, he showed off improved footwork and passing and quicker moves to the basket. He even dished an assist with a nifty bounce pass to Connor Atchley for a layup in the first half. He likely would have played more than 15 minutes if he didn't pick up four fouls.
Pittman said Newell told him to keep improving his feel for where a defender is without looking at him. When told of Newell's death on Monday, "it was kind of shocking," Pittman said.
James said the Longhorns are counting on Pittman to be a force in the post all season.
"When Dexter gets the ball inside, he's going to score," James said. "For us to be where we want to be, Dexter's got to help us a lot."
The Longhorns also saw the debut of sophomore guard Dogus Balbay, who will be counted on this season to fill the void at the point left by D.J. Augustin, who is in the NBA.
Balbay entered the game against Tulane with about 13 minutes left in the first half and quickly contributed a layup and had one of Texas' eight steals in the first half. He also had a couple of blown layups in the second half.
"I was really happy for Dogus," Barnes said. "For his first time in, he really came with a pit-bull attitude."
Abrams had 10 points with two 3-pointers as Texas built a 42-25 halftime lead. Texas led 15-10 before Balbay's layup started a 16-4 run that opened up a double-digit lead.
Texas opened the second half with two dunks. The first came when Abrams pulled up for a 3-pointer, then rifled a pass to Pittman under the basket. James followed it with a steal and fastbreak slam that put Texas up by 21 before three more steals ended in more Texas baskets.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM
- Texas has not trailed in 80 minutes of action this season
- Texas has held opponents under 35% FG shooting in all four halves this season
- Texas logged a 39-16 advantage in points off turnovers
- Started the season with back-to-back margins of victory of 20 or more points for the sixth consecutive season
- Texas played its 2,500th intercollegiate contest in the sport of men's basketball. The Longhorns own a 1,565-935 record in their 103 years of competition
- Texas is 153-14 in the Coach Barnes era when holding its opponent under 40% FG shooting
- Texas had five players score in double figures for the first time since Feb. 16, 2008 in an 82-77 win over Baylor
- Texas made a 3-point field goal for the 585th consecutive game
- Texas improved to 140-18 at home under Coach Barnes, including winning 94 of their last 101 home contests
- Texas improved to 10-6 all-time against Tulane, including winning four straight and seven of the last eight meetings
A.J. Abrams
- Scored 10 or more points for the second time this season and the 70th time in 111 career games
Connor Atchley
- Scored 10 or more points for the second time this season and the 20th time in 104 career games
- Became the fifth Longhorn to ever reach the 150-plateau in career blocks, finishing the game with 151 blocksConnor Atchley
Dogus Balbay
- Saw his first collegiate action
Damion James
- Scored 10 or more points for the second time this season and the 40th time in 75 career games
- Equaled a career-high with three steals, previously recording three steals twice
Gary Johnson
- Scored 10 or more points for the first time this season and the fifth time in 24 career games
- Logged a career-high three steals, with his previous best being two against Oklahoma on Feb. 23, 2008
Justin Mason
- Was one shy of a career-high with seven assists, previously recording eight assists against Oklahoma State on March 14, 2008
Dexter Pittman
- Made his second career start, his other coming against at home against Baylor on Feb. 2, 2008
- Scored 10 or more points for the second time this season and the fifth time in 67 career games
- Scored 10 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career
TEXAS QUOTES
HEAD COACH Rick Barnes
On the team's effort tonight: We did do a better job. One, we obviously created a lot of offense with our defense. The thing we were most impressed with as a coaching staff is the things we got done on the defensive end. Offensively, the big thing was putting the ball inside. Any time you can make more free throws than your opponent takes, you'll be happy with that. The intensity and the effort was good, 19 turnovers is unacceptable. We can't get in a habit of not taking care of the basketball.
On the team's driving tonight: I thought that we got a couple really nice drives. We need to attack. It's pretty simple, that real estate around that line area is what you've got to control on both ends and we're really trying to hit it hard and we need to keep doing that.
On Dogus Balbay's first game: I was really happy for Dogus. For his first time playing he came with a pit bull attitude. He was going to create some havoc on the defensive end, he did that. I thought he was in pretty much control on the offensive end. He only had one turnover in 26 minutes; we'll take that every night.
On the way the team started the second half: What I liked more than anything was the way we came out of the locker room after halftime, I think we had a 17-2 run to start it and they had to use some timeouts.
SOPHOMORE GUARD Dogus Balbay
On playing his very first game: I think it was good to get the first game out of my way. I felt pretty good at the beginning, I was kind of nervous but the fans were great and my teammates and coaches helped me a lot. I felt really great and I tried to help my teammates. I was really thinking about what I was doing and I think today I did a good job on the offense and defense. I hope to get better every day.
On learning from D.J. Augustin: He was a great leader on the court and he scored and he passed the ball. He was unselfish and I'm trying to do what he did last year.
On playing the point position: First of all, whoever gets the ball can all run the point. When I'm in the game, I'm just trying to do what I need to do. Last game we didn't fast break a lot, but this game I think we did a better job. I think I did my best to try to create shots for my teammates.
JUNIOR FORWARD Damion James
On Dexter Pittman: He's a force inside and I really truly believe that when Dexter gets the ball inside, he's going to score. For us to be where we want to be, he is going to have to help us a lot.
On having five players in double figure scoring: We don't have one selfish player on the team. We all know who can do what and we have to work on our offense because our defense is keeping us in the game. But we have to continue to work hard on offense and everything will eventually take care of itself.
JUNIOR FORWARD Dexter Pittman
On attending Pete Newell's Big Man Camp: I spent about a week with him. He was there sitting on the sidelines most of the time but he had me in the gym early working on my touch. I just found out yesterday that he had passed away. It was kind of shocking.
On some of the things he learned from Newell: A lot of footwork and a better feel for the defender, how to pass from post to post. He told me I was a beast and he was trying to joke around. He said I was one of the biggest wing mans who had come through his camp and he was a nice guy.
TULANE QUOTES
HEAD COACH DAVE DICKERSON
On tonight's game: We played against one of the best teams in the country tonight. Texas' team is as good of a team I've ever coached against. They're well coached, they're quick, they're athletic. They're a good team and they showed all those things tonight.
On his team's struggles against Texas: We couldn't rebound the basketball tonight, we couldn't pass tonight. Whenever you can't pass and catch it's tough. I thought we played 10 minutes of good basketball tonight, the last 30 minutes were all Longhorns. We're not at a point where we can compete against a team like Texas but hopefully we can be there sometime down the road.
On Texas: They're the seventh-ranked team in the country. I don't make any excuses for our team, but we're on the home court of the best teams in the country and they defended it well tonight.
