The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas-Pan American
No. 2 Men's Basketball rolls over Texas-Pan American, 104-42
12.15.2009 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 15, 2009
Box Score | Box Score [PDF] | 
| Notes | Quotes
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Texas freshman Avery Bradley had his third straight impressive game for the second-ranked Longhorns.
Bradley scored a season-high 18 points and had five assists to lead Texas to an overpowering 104-42 victory over Texas-Pan American on Tuesday night.
"My comfort level is definitely getting better," Bradley said. "I came out the second half and tried to let the defensive end get my offensive game going, and it did."
Bradley, who averaged 16 points on 13-of-26 shooting in the last two games, led the Longhorns (9-0) offensively, going 8 of 15 from the field while involving others with his timely passing.
Jordan Hamilton had 15 points for Texas, while Dexter Pittman controlled the low post with 14 points and seven rebounds, Gary Johnson added 12 points and Justin Mason had 10.
"We're trying to build habits, and that's what you're searching for this time of year," Texas coach Rick Barnes said of Bradley. "I think he came out and he wasn't as aggressive as he has been, but when we picked it up defensively he really came along."
Using the full-court trap, the Longhorns pressured Texas Pan-American into 21 turnovers in the game. Texas shot 53.3 percent (40 of 75) and was 8 of 20 on 3s.
The Longhorns are hoping to see Bradley and fellow freshman Hamilton keep up the production.
"They are playing fearless right now, and I think they have the butterflies out of them," Pittman said. "They are playing like men."
Texas broke from a 45-19 halftime lead by going on a 39-13 run over the first 10 minutes of the second half. Bradley, who reached double figures for the sixth time this season, scored 12 points in the run.
Luis Valera had 10 points for the Broncs (1-10), who finished 15 of 63 (23.8 percent) from the field, including 3 of 22 from 3-point range.
The Longhorns used a 17-7 run to take a 21-11 lead early in the first half. Hamilton hit two 3-pointers during the run, and Dogus Balbay added a 3 from the wing. Balbay finished with eight points, five rebounds and nine assists.
"I've gotten a chance to get a good feel of their program the last five years, and I think they are terrific and by the end of the year I think they'll be marvelous," Texas Pan-American coach Ryan Marks said. "I'm not sure that this isn't the best Texas team I've seen."
Marks coached at St. Edwards, a private university in Austin located about 5 miles south of the Texas campus.
The Longhorns outrebounded Texas-Pan American 34-13 in the first half. Pittman and Damion James combined for 16 rebounds and helped the Longhorns score 46 points in the paint. Texas closed the first half on a 24-8 run and held the Broncs to 6-of-30 shooting. It was the ninth-largest margin of victory in Longhorn history, and third-largest at the Erwin Center.
The Longhorns will play No. 10 North Carolina at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, on Saturday. For most of the players, this is the game they have been waiting for.
"This is a game I've dreamed of playing in since I was a little kid, and we'll treat this like the national championship," Bradley said.
Added Pittman, "We're playing against the best of the best, we'll get a sense of where we're at as a team. We'll treat this like the national championship."
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM
- Texas' 62-point margin of victory was the ninth-largest in school history and the largest since beating Prairie View A&M by 72 points (110-38) on Dec. 30, 2005
- Texas' 62-point margin of victory was the eighth-largest margin of victory at home and the third-largest margin of victory at the Erwin Center
- Texas started the season 9-0 for the 12th time in school history, but just the third time since 1947-48 (1981-82, 2007-08, 2009-10)
- Texas improved to 6-0 all-time vs. UT Pan American
- Texas improved to 96-11 (.897) against in-state foes during the Rick Barnes era
- Texas opened the season with nine wins by double-digit margins for the first time since the 1921-22 season and just the third time in school history (1915-16, 1921-22, 2009-10)
- Texas opened the season with nine wins by margins of 15 or more points for the first time in school history
- Texas 31.7 scoring margin is the school's second-best in a 9-0 start behind just the 1914-15 season in which the 37.6 scoring margin is skewed by a 102-1 win over San Marcos Baptist
- Texas won by 30 or more points for the fifth time this season
- Texas scored 100 or more points for the second time this season and the 104th time in the history of the program
- The +33 rebound margin is tied for the second-best in school history behind the record of +39 set against Samford (54-15) on Nov. 16, 2005
Dogus Balbay
- Scored eight points, three shy of his career high and two shy of his season high
- Recorded nine assists, two shy of his career high, giving him 22 (7.3 apg) over the last three games
Avery Bradley
- Scored a career-high 18 points, topping the 17 he scored against Long Beach State
- Reached double figures points in scoring for the sixth time this season
- Made a career-high eight field goals, topping the seven he made against Long Beach State
- Recorded a career-high three steals, topping the two he had on four prior occasions
- Recorded a career-high five assists
- Has averaged 16.7 points over the last three games after averaging 8.2 points over the first six games
Clint Chapman
- Grabbed a career-high nine rebounds, topping the six he had twice prior in his career
Andrew Dick
- Scored his first career points, including his first career three-pointer, and his first rebound
- Played a career-high seven minutes
Jordan Hamilton
- Reached double figures in scoring (15 points) for the sixth time this season
- Logged a career-high seven rebounds, tying the seven he had against Texas State
Damion James
- Ended the game with 1,445 points to move within 11 points of Gabe Muoneke (1,456 - 1997-2000) for 14th place on the UT career scoring list
- Ended the game with 1,059 rebounds to pass Colorado's Stephane Pelle (1,053 - 2000-03) for fourth place on the Big 12 career list
Gary Johnson
- Reached double figures in scoring (12 points) for third time this season and the 24th time in 63 career games
Justin Mason
- Reached double figures in scoring (10 points) for first time this season and the 29th time in 117 career games
Dean Melchionni
- Grabbed his first career rebounds
- Played a career-high seven minutes
Dexter Pittman
- Reached double figures in scoring (14 points) for seventh time this season and the 24th time in 109 career games
Alexis Wangmene
- Recorded a season-high six rebounds, topping the four he had on four prior occasions
- Scored seven points, one shy of his career-high
HEAD COACH Rick Barnes
On what the team gets out of a game like this: At the start of the game, the older guys came out focused and understood what we needed to do to keep the game going like we wanted it to go. Avery [Bradley] and Jordan [Hamilton] weren't quite as focused at the start as we needed them to be. It is something to expect from the younger guys in a situation like this. But both of them picked up their game, which I thought was a good thing. Guys who need minutes got to play and we got to do some things that we wanted to do. We've been playing Damion [James] on the perimeter a little bit and we've been playing Avery at point, both of which we got to do tonight. When the season started, we had no idea that we would be in the situation where we went into a game with only one point guard.
On Avery Bradley at point: I thought he was good. He hasn't really played in that position at all. When we put him there tonight, I thought he did some good things.
On playing every game like it's your last: It's building habits. That's what we're searching for at this point in time. For us, it's not about who we're playing and we've said that at every game that we have played this year. It's about what we are trying to build this team into. To be quite honest, there are some things that we didn't do that we could have done, whether it is focus or something else. The talent levels are different, but in a game like this, we are just trying to forget the score and play the game. It's hard to get young players to focus on something like that.
SENIOR Dexter Pittman
On Avery Bradley and Jordan Hamilton: They are playing fearless now. I think they got the butterflies out the first couple games. They're playing like men now.
On if it was different playing a smaller team: Yes, because I know I have to be more nimble on my feet and I know I can't be out of control. I can't use as much power because if they flop it will look like it was a foul.
On playing UNC: it is a great opportunity for us to go out and play a great team like North Carolina. We are going to go out there and get a sense of where we are at. We are going to approach it like a national championship game. That is how we are going to treat it. We are playing on a big stage in Jerry World and playing the best of the best. Then we are going to come back here and play Michigan State. It is a tough week for us.
FRESHMAN Avery Bradley
On his overall comfort level: It is definitely getting better. This game I felt comfortable at the start. Coach got on to me he told me that I need to pick my game up. That's what I did in the second half. I came out the second half and went in and played hard on the defense. He just told me I need to treat every game like it is my last game. I need to play hard every game.
TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN QUOTES
HEAD COACH RYAN MARKS
On Texas: I think they're terrific. For me it's been interesting because I've been at St. Edwards for the last five years, so I've gotten the chance to get a feel for their program. I'm not sure that this isn't the best Texas team I've seen because I think they are playing really well. Knowing that a couple guys are missing tonight, I think they are terrific now, but by the end of the season, I think they are going to be marvelous.
On what you tell your team after a game like this: We want to show our team the parts of the game that they were effective and say that if we can do this against a team of Texas' caliber, we should be able to replicate this against anyone on our schedule.
On Avery Bradley: In watching several games of him on TV and on film, I thought he was good, but I think he's much better in person. His offense skill set is so well rounded and his decision making and poise, for this early in the season, seem to be light-years ahead of most other players. The combination of what he can do, along with his composure on the floor make him a very special player.
On Jordan Hamilton: Hamilton is a guy that is very good offensively. He is one of those guys that you have to keep from getting into a rhythm. In film, I've seen some games where he's been very good and some where he's taken some shots that Rick [Barnes] probably wasn't thrilled about. As he continues to grow and understand what the coaches want from him, he will be a guy that has great offensive fire power off the bench.
