The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Rice
Men's Basketball coasts to 77-56 win over Rice
11.30.2008 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2008
Box Score 
| Box Score | 
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- After logging thousands of air miles to and from Hawaii and three games in a holiday tournament, the No. 6 Texas Longhorns could be excused if they were in need of a Sunday afternoon nap.
Texas looked like it would have a snoozer Sunday against Rice before the Owls made a game of it in the first half. The Longhorns finally woke up in the second to pull away for a workmanlike 77-56 win. Justin Mason scored 14 points to lead five Texas players in double figures.
Texas played in the Maui Invitational last week and didn't get home to Austin until about midday Friday. Within 48 hours, the Longhorns were playing their fourth game in seven days.
"It was tough coming back," Mason said. "But we can't use that as an excuse."
Texas (5-1) sure looked jet-lagged. Gary Johnson and Damion James both finished with 12 points for the Longhorns, but guard A.J. Abrams, their leading scorer this season and one of the best 3-point shooters in the country, had 10 points after making just one from long range. He was held scoreless in the first half.
"It's the first time I can remember in a long time he just looked beat," Texas coach Rick Barnes said.
Abrams took only one shot in the first half - he was fouled so it didn't even show up on the stat sheet - and spent much of it on the bench after he picked up two of his own.
Rice (2-4) was able to take advantage of the Texas lull for a little while. Lucas Kuipers, who led the Owls with 19 points, made three 3-pointers in the half. Rice led 19-17 before Texas reserve guards Dogus Balbay and Varez Ward sparked an 8-0 Texas run.
Balbay finished a fast break with an arcing layup over a defender, then jumped in the paint for a tip-in. He then had a steal that led to a basket by Johnson and a 25-19 lead for Texas.
"My job is just getting the ball and try to run fast breaks, pass the ball," said Balbay, a sophomore from Turkey. "When I get the ball, I just try to be aggressive."
Balbay ended the half with an assist to Mason, who made a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left to give the Longhorns a 37-30 lead at halftime.
"We came out in the first half and we were really hungry. We really wanted it," Kuipers said. "In the second half, we got a little satisfied."
The Longhorns seemed to use the break to finally wake up.
Abrams scored two quick baskets to open the second half and Texas built the lead to 48-31 as the Owls misfired on several 3-pointers. Abrams finally took - and made - a 3-pointer, with 10:31 to play that made it 57-41. The Owls were never able to trim the deficit under 13 points and the Longhorns coasted the rest of the way.
"When you can hold a great player like Abrams to zero in the first half, you have a chance to win the game," RICE coach Ben Braun said. "In the second, he hit some big shots to turn the game around."
Texas is 86-9 against opponents from the Lone Star State in 11 seasons under Barnes.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM
- Texas improved to 86-9 (.905) against in-state foes during the Rick Barnes era
- Texas improved to 132-59 (.691) in the all-time series against Rice, including 71-21 (.772) in Austin
- Texas has won 11 of the last 12 and 26 of the last 31 contests against the Owls
- Texas improved to 116-10 (.920) in home games against unranked (AP) opponents during the Rick Barnes era
- Texas improved to 72-7 (.911) in non-conference home games during the Rick Barnes era, including winning 66 of their last 68 non-conference home contests
- Texas improved to 141-18 (.887) at the Erwin Center during the Rick Barnes era, including winning 95 of its last 101 home contests
- Texas has owned a rebounding edge in all six games
- Texas blocked six or more shots for the fifth time this season
- Texas is 156-14 (.918) in the Coach Barnes era when holding its opponent under 40% FG shooting
A.J. Abrams
- Scored 10 or more points for the fifth time this season and the 73rd time in 114 career games
- Passed Johnny Moore (1,482 - 1997-2000) to move into 11th place on the UT all-time scoring list with 1,484 points
Connor Atchley
- Scored 10 or more points for the third time this season and the 21st time in 108 career games
Dogus Balbay
- Logged a career-high with four assists, topping the one assist he had on two separate occasions
- Logged a career-high with three steals, topping the two steals he had against Tulane
Matt Hill
- Equaled a career-high with two blocked shots, equaling the two blocks he had on two separate occasions
Damion James
- Scored 10 or more points for the sixth time this season and the 44th time in 79 career games
Gary Johnson
- Scored 10 or more points for the fifth time this season and the ninth time in 28 career games
- Played a season-high 30 minutes, topping his 28 minutes against Oregon
Justin Mason
- Scored 10 or more points for the third time this season and the 24th time in 79 career games
Varez Ward
- Logged a career-high eight points, topping the two points he had on two separate occasions
TEXAS QUOTES
HEAD COACH Rick Barnes
On the team's defensive performance today: We didn't rotate when we were doubling the ball screen. We knew they would pick and pop and we weren't getting the backside rotation. We gave them some threes and then we were giving them offensive rebounds. Our guys were getting locked in to their man. Early they got a lot of second chance points, but we helped them out by letting them play horse with it. We went small and tried to push the tempo a little bit. Defensively, they did exactly what we thought they were going to do. We're trying to establish an identity of going inside, but we didn't do a good job moving the ball and moving bodies.
On the bench's contribution: Dogus [Balbay] had four assists and no turnovers. Varez [Ward] is such an aggressive player, some of his turnovers came off of the attacking the basket, it was good for them to get some extended minutes. Varez is good at attacking, so he's got to find that neutral ground where he doesn't take it too far. He's a good driver, he has good vision and he can pass the ball. He just needs to keep learning to play at this level.
On playing after returning from the Maui Invitational: I felt like certain guys still hadn't found themselves. I look at A.J. [Abrams], and for the first time I could remember in a long time, he just looked beat. We were giving up a lot of middle drives early, and the fact is, we gave up. But people can't make a big deal about the trip.
JUNIOR GUARD Justin Mason On today's game: I think we were prepared to come out. We wanted to play hard. We had a couple of mental breakdowns early in the first half and we gave them a lot of open shots. Our intensity changed in the second half, we didn't want to give them too many open shots. I think we picked our intensity up a little bit. I think we executed a little better on defense. We could still improve on those breakdowns we had, but I think he was impressed with our intensity.
On playing after returning from the Maui Invitational: It was tough coming back but we can't use that as an excuse. A lot of teams were down there and they can't use that excuse either. I think we owe it to ourselves to come back and be able to play games.
On the bench's contribution: They came in and gave us some good hard minutes. They helped our offense a lot and they were really aggressive. They got the defense going and they brought the intensity level off coming off the bench. They really did a good of doing that.
SOPHOMORE GUARD Dogus Balbay On today's game: I think this was a good chance to prove ourselves today. I think we were more aggressive than the game against Notre Dame. I think we did a better job today and came out and played aggressive, especially in the second half.
On getting the ball moving: On the court, my job is getting the ball, and trying to run the fast break or pass and dishing the ball. So when I get the ball I just try to be aggressive and try to create open shots for my teammates. I also try to take care of the ball, that was all I was trying to do on the court.
FRESHMAN GUARD Varez Ward On today's game: I think it was a good chance to improve playing time. We played a lot of minutes and we were able to prove ourselves.
RICE QUOTES
HEAD COACH BEN BRAUN
Opening statement: I really thought the first half we stepped out and competed really hard. It was nice to knock down some shots. I thought we did a fairly good job against the pressure. I thought we did a great job against [A.J.] Abrams, if you can hold down a great shooter like him to zero points at the half, then you have a good chance in the game. But he hit some big shots to help turn things around in the second half. I thought early in the second half when Texas scored to open up the half and we gave up some post plays deep, it hurt us. Also our team had nine assists in the first half and we only had two in the second. Texas is a good defensive team. They stepped up their defensive pressure in the second half and we became a little more impatient. Players play more confidently when you have that kind of lead and I thought that was a major difference in the half.
On learning from this game: I thought our players had a few looks but we were a little bit in a hurry. Texas had five guys in double figures and that's good balance. I thought we did a decent job handling pressure, we did get the ball near the rim and we just couldn't finish. We'll work on that later. Texas is a good team and I thought we cut some opportunities for them early in the game. It's going to take some time but it's a confidence thing and if our post players can step up and command the block, then we can be a threat inside.
On Lucas Kuipers: Lucas is a good shooter and he has the ability to knock down the shots. I really like what he brings us which is the versatility of being able to go inside and outside. He can stretch the defense, he shoots the ball with confidence and I thought his teammates did a good job finding him on the open floor.
FRESHMAN FORWARD LUCAS KUIPERS
On having a career high 19-points: Coach (Braun) said if I could hit the shot, then I should take it. So that's what I did today. I was open and my teammates found me, so I give a lot of credit to them. We're trying to move the ball around and we found the open guy and I just happened to be the open guy today. It wasn't that I was much more open, but against Texas it was in my mind for some reason I felt like we had to score and I thought I had the shot so I took the shot. It was nothing special.
On the team in the second half: In my mind, we came out in the first half and we were really hungry. We really wanted this game and I think in the second half we got a little satisfied. We needed to come out even harder and I think in the future we'll do a better job doing that. In the second half you can't have a letdown in any area, offense, defense, anything. Everything is tied together and there isn't just one thing that narrows it down.
FRESHMAN GUARD CONNOR FRIZZELLE
On the today's game: First half we sort of had it together but there was a lot of times they would switch and sort of disrupt the offense. We have to get better at it, but they were really good at disrupting the offense. We can take a lot of positives from this game and learn from that. We can just get back in the game and work harder. We need to execute better and we'll get back in the gym to improve on. It's just one of these games where you can get better from. I'm learning every game but I definitely could have had some jumpers that I could have pulled down.
