The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M
Men's Basketball tops Texas A&M in OT, 72-67
01.16.2010 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 16, 2010
Box Score 
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| Notes | Quotes
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Texas knew life at the top would be tough, and the Longhorns' first week at No. 1 was every bit as hard as they expected.
Damion James scored 26 points, including seven in overtime, and the top-ranked Longhorns rallied for a rugged 72-67 win over Texas A&M on Saturday night.
James made a 3-pointer with 1 minute left in overtime and blocked a 3-point attempt by Texas A&M's B.J. Holmes in the final seconds that would have tied the game.
By the time he was finished, James was exhausted but happy to know that Texas would still be sitting at No. 1.
"I'm so tired," James said. "They came out and punched us in the mouth and we didn't retaliate until the second half."
Texas (17-0, 3-0 Big 12) had earned its first No. 1 ranking with a dominating start in which few teams could even stay close to the Longhorns. Then they had to fight through a tough road win at Iowa State before wrestling with their big rival on their home court.
"In the position we're in right now, the other team's emotions are going to be harder no matter where you're playing," Texas coach Rick Barnes. "It was a hard-fought game, but I don't know what anybody else expected."
The Longhorns didn't grab the lead Saturday night until James' first basket of overtime. A 13-point deficit in the first half was the Longhorns' largest of the season.
"We fought back," James said. "Once we put it in overtime, we felt like it was our game."
Donald Sloan scored 21 points and Bryan Davis added 17 for the Aggies (12-5, 1-2) who dropped their second straight in Big 12 play after nearly earning the program's first win over a No. 1 opponent.
"We didn't come here for a moral victory. We came to win," Sloan said.
The Aggies had the game plan to do it. Texas A&M shut down hotshot Texas freshman Avery Bradley and senior forward Dexter Pittman and held the Longhorns to 35 percent shooting.
Johnson kept Texas in it early, scoring nine of his 18 points in the first half.
James scored 23 points in the second half and overtime. The Big 12's career rebounding leader also grabbed a game-high 12 boards.
"He did what seniors do," Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon said. "They have so many players, so many weapons."
Texas A&M was in control and had taken the home crowd out of it when Davis spun around Pittman for a layup that gave the Aggies a 10-point lead early in the second half.
But Davis, who would eventually foul out in overtime, soon picked up his third foul and went to the bench. James pulled Texas to 44-37 with a 3-pointer and followed it with a three-point play after a steal.
Another jump shot by James and his soaring dunk pulled Texas to 48-46. He scored 12 points during a 15-6 Texas run.
J'Covan Brown's jumper for Texas tied it at 60 and the Longhorns had a chance to win in the final seconds of regulation.
Texas A&M tried to set up for the winning shot but Sloan was stripped of the ball. Bradley sprinted to the basket but his layup skirted around the rim and Texas' Alexis Wangmene and James missed tip-in chances to win at the buzzer.
In overtime, James and Sloan traded baskets and Texas A&M led 67-66 on David Loubeau's dunk with 1:18 left. After James made his 3-pointer, Dogus Balbay made one of two free throws. His only point of the game put Texas up 70-67 with 30 seconds left.
On their final possession, the Aggies swung the ball to Holmes in the left corner but James leaped and stretched out his hand to block the shot. Brown grabbed the ball, got fouled, and made two free throws with 3 seconds left for the final points.
"I was like 'He ain't getting the shot off," James said. "It was a big play."
Big enough that Texas gets to stay at No. 1 for at least a few more days. The Longhorns play at No. 13 Kansas State on Monday before traveling to No. 15 Connecticut next weekend.
"This is what you play for," James said. "This is how you make a name for yourself as a team."
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM
- Texas improved to 17-0 for the first time since the 1932-33 season and just the third time in school history (1923-24, 1932-33, 2009-10)
- Texas won its 17th consecutive game, tied for the fourth longest win streak in school history
- Texas improved to a 98-11 (.899) record against in-state foes during the Rick Barnes era, including 18-6 against Texas A&M
- Texas improved to a 11-1 in home games against Texas A&M during the Barnes era
- Texas outrebounded an opponent for the 14th time in 17 games
- Texas started the Big 12-0 season with a 3-0 mark for the first time since the 2006-07 season
- Texas improved to 159-20 (.888) at the Erwin Center in the Barnes era, including 72-5 over the last five seasons
- Texas is guaranteed its 12th consecutive winning season
- Rick Barnes is guaranteed his 18th consecutive winning season
- Texas played in its first OT game of the season and its first over time since an 85-76 win over Colorado on Feb. 14, 2009
- Texas improved to 22-17 in OT games against Big 12 opponents, including 5-3 against Texas A&M
- Texas did not hold a lead until the 4:40 mark of OT
- Texas bench outscored the Texas A&M bench 34-7
- Texas overcame its first double-digit deficit of the season after falling behind by 13 points with 2:32 remaining in the first half. The largest the Longhorns had trailed by this season was eight points against Michigan State
J'Covan Brown
- Recorded his first career double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 10th time this season
- Grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds, topping the five he logged in three different games this season
Damion James
- Made his 123nd career start, three shy of Royal Ivey (126 - 2001-04) for the school career mark
- Played in his 125th consecutive game, tied with Justin Mason for third on UT's all-time list behind only Brian Boddicker (134 - 2001-04) and James Thomas (134 - 2001-04)
- Recorded a double-double (26 points, 12 rebounds) for the 10th time this season and the 47th time in his career (125 games)
- Recorded a double-double for the seventh time in the last eight games time, averaging 20.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game over the span
- Tied Chris Mihm (47 - 1998-2000) for the Big 12 record for most career double-doubles with 47
- Scored 20 or more points for the ninth time this season and the 19th time in his career
- Reached double figures in scoring for the 15th time this season and the 84th time in his career
- Reached double figures in rebounding for the 10th time this season and the 58th time in his career
- Ended the game with 1,609 career points to pass Kris Clack (1,592 - 1996-99) for eighth-place on the UT career scoring list
- Ended the game with 464 career rebounds in Big 12 Conference games to pass Oklahoma's Eduardo Najera (462 - 1997-2000) for seventh place on the Big 12 career list
Gary Johnson
- Recorded his first double-double of the season (18 points, 10 rebounds) and the third of his career (71 games)
- Reached double figures in scoring for the seventh time this season and the 28th time in his career
- Reached double figures in rebounding for the first time this season and the third time in his career
- Equaled a career-high with eight made free throws
Justin Mason
- Played in his 125th consecutive game, tied with Damion James for third on UT's all-time list behind only Brian Boddicker (134 - 2001-04) and James Thomas (134 - 2001-04)
Dexter Pittman
- Tied a Texas school record for most blocks in a half in a Big 12 game with five, equaling the mark set by Brad Buckman vs. Baylor (1st half) on Jan. 9, 2005 and matched by Kevin Durant vs. Kansas State (2nd half) on Feb. 3, 2007
- Ended the game with 102 blocked shots to move into ninth place on the UT career list.
Head Coach Rick Barnes
On today's game: First off, I think you guys should really compliment Texas A&M. I thought they really came right in and punched us right in the mouth. We had our offense get us in a funk by trying to one-pass and go one-on-one and shoot the ball. We didn't get any movement and couldn't get any offensive rebounds. I think you got to give them a great deal of credit. It was a great basketball game and at the end of the game, I thought some of our guys really stepped up and some players made plays. Damion's [James] three was a huge play after the way he played in the first half. He had a terrific second half and Dogus [Balbay] defense was just phenomenal coming down the stretch. I mean Donald Sloan is a senior that's been around. He knows how to play, knows how to win games. Dogus really did a great job there on him. Again, I think you just got to compliment A&M for their energy, their effort and their fight.
On pulling Damion James out in the second half: I'm not sure what I said to him. On that one play, defensively, he left the shooter and again it goes back to scouting report. Coming in, we knew that rebounding was a huge part of the game and one of the first couple of possessions [Nathan] Walkup went right by Damion and got an offensive rebound. We know he can shoot the ball and the reason I got upset with him was the way we played the ball screen. It was a switching situation and he didn't switch and he gave up a three, so to me when those things are happening I don't think you're in the game mentally. That's why I took him out and that's what that situation was for.
On Damion James taking over offensively in the second half and overtime: He's been around. He's improved a lot and I think today he showed why he's the player he is and what he's developed into. He didn't flinch. He kept playing and made some big shots. He did some good things and what he did today in the second half, that's what you'd expect from a senior that's been around and played in as many games as he'd played in. That's what you'd hope, I should say.
Senior Forward Damion James
On today's game: I'm so tired. Their team played so hard. They came out and punched us in the mouth. I got down on myself in the first half because I missed a couple of shots. I shouldn't do that though because when my team sees my head down, they get down, too. I need to be out there as a leader, so in the second half I changed my swagger.
On the thought of losing today: We don't lose. We can't lose, so we fought back. We had a great crowd tonight. They really supported us and were behind us the whole time. When we went into overtime, we knew it was our game.
On why the first half was tough: It happens. I wish I could tell you why [we struggled]. I wish I knew so we don't let it happen again. They came out and played hard. When you come out and you've got a big target on your back, you've got to give it your best shot. They came out and punched us in the mouth, but we didn't retaliate until the second half. I learned from this game.
Junior Forward Gary Johnson
On his performance tonight: I just tried to play hard. I knew that the guys were going to keep on shooting the ball, so I figured if I kept going to the glass, I'd have a better chance of getting the ball.
On what happened in the first half: In the first half, everybody tried to do it by themselves, but that's not what this team is about. Everything goes through Dexter, and that's what we didn't get done in the first half. They almost beat us because of it. I think we'll learn from, and we'll be more prepared going into Monday.
TEXAS A&M PLAYER QUOTES
Senior Guard Donald Sloan
On if it was difficult getting started on offense at the end of the game: Not really, I don't think so. I think we actually were stalling for the last, not stalling, but we wanted to take some time off the clock before we actually attempted to take a shot.
On the effort after last game: We had total effort, commitment, everything. That's part of it, you going to have to bring it, playing against the number one team in the nation. It's a disappointing loss because we felt like we could have won the game but nothing like the last couple of days ago after [Kansas] State. We fought and they hit some tough shots at the end, especially [Damion] James, and they got a few bounces.
On feeling like you let one get away: Of course, we came here expecting to win, but give them the credit they deserve. But, we came here to win. No doubt about that we can play on the same floor as them. We played our hardest and kind of let it slip away at the end.
Junior Forward Nathan Walkup
On trying to set a play at the end: Yes, we were trying to set a play to get him [David Sloan] a shot open in the corner. I tried to screen one guy and another guy went and I tried to screen him. I couldn't see what happened behind me, I was facing the goal trying to screen. Yeah, we tried to get him the ball in the corner.
