The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
7-0
UT Arlington
3-4
No. 6/7 Men's Basketball defeats UT Arlington, 63-53
12.02.2014 | Men's Basketball
Longhorns tie school record for blocks in defensive stand
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas matched a program record with 13 blocks, Myles Turner recorded his second double-double, and the No. 6/7 Longhorns defeated the UT Arlington Mavericks, 63-53, on Tuesday night at the Erwin Center.
Turner led all scorers with 18 points, shooting 14-of-17 from the free-throw line. He also posted 10 rebounds and five blocks, three in the second half. The freshman forward scored 13 of the Horns' 24 second-half points.
Senior forward Jonathan Holmes matched a career-high with 16 rebounds, nine points and three blocks. Kendal Yancy also added nine points and six boards.
The Texas (7-0) defense came up big by outrebounding the Mavericks, 52-25, and swatting 13 shots, the most rejections since Dec. 29, 2004 against UTSA. Texas had only recorded 13 blocks in a contest twice before tonight.
After UT Arlington (3-4) jumped out to an early 15-7 lead, Texas used a 23-5 run to take control while holding the Mavericks to only 4-of-20 (.200) shooting in that span.
A jumper and three-pointer from Yancy sparked a 13-3 run to take their first lead since the game's first two points.
With the game tied at 20-all, Texas went on a 10-0 run, with six of those points coming at the free-throw line. Holmes grabbed his tenth rebound of the first half with 4:32 remaining and scored on a put-back layup to give Texas its largest lead of the night at 34-22 and force UTA into its first timeout of the game.
In the opening period, Texas tallied eight blocks, just one block shy of matching a program record for blocks in a half. Holmes registered three of those, to go along with 10 rebounds and six points.
After only registering 35 rebounds against UConn the entire game, Texas grabbed 29 boards in the first half.
Coming out of the break, UTA went on a 13-5 run to come as close as three (44-41), before Turner responded with six straight points to rebuild the lead to 50-41.
Texas maintained its lead for the rest of the game and would lead by as much as 12.
Jamel Outler and Greg Gainey paced the way for the Mavericks with nine points apiece.
The Horns continue nonconference action when they travel to Lexington, Kentucky on Friday to face the No. 1/1 Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. Central and will be aired nationally on ESPN.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
No. 6/7 Texas 63, UT Arlington 53
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Attendance: 8,632
Team Notes
- The Longhorns set a school record for blocks in a game with 13. They tied the previous mark set twice: Dec. 29, 2004 against UTSA and Nov. 15, 2000 against California.
- Texas has registered at least seven rejections in each of the last six games and are now averaging 8.3 per game on the year. UT posted eight blocks in the first half, coming up just one shy of tying the school record for a half.
- Texas limited UT Arlington to just 53 points on 36.4% FG shooting (20-of-55). The Horns have held each of their first seven opponents below 60 points AND 37% FG shooting.
- The Longhorns have held each of their first seven opponents under 60 points. The last time Texas accomplished that feat was the 1950-51 season.
- Texas improved to 244-26 in the Rick Barnes era when holding its opponent below 40% FG shooting (7-0 this year).
- The Longhorns out-rebounded the Mavericks 52-25. It was the fifth time this season Texas has posted at least a +10 rebounding marking.
- Posted a career-high 16 rebounds, tying his previous best set last season at TCU on Feb. 4, 2014. Holmes has now reached double figures in rebounding for the second time this season and 11th in his career (102 games).
- Tied a career-high with three blocks, reaching that mark for the 10th time in his career.
- Recorded five blocks, just one shy of his season-high. He leads the team in blocks (23, 3.3 bpg) through the first seven games.
- Registered his second double-double on the year with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Was 14-of-17 at the free-throw line.
- Tied career-high with six rebounds.
Texas vs. UT Arlington Quotes
Texas Quotes
Head Coach Rick Barnes
On if he thought this was a trap game: Well I don't think I felt that it was a trap game at any point in time. We just missed a lot of shots. We knew that UT Arlington and Scott's [Cross] team would play the way they played – hard, competitive, and knew they wouldn't quit. What they did, we weren't surprised at all. I make sure I look at our effort overall. We missed shots, and for the most part they were shots we have to expect our guys to take. When you look at the fact we had 28 offensive rebounds and didn't capitalize on that even with those missed shots. Thirteen blocks and 13 turnovers, I don't know if I've ever seen that from one of our teams. For the most part, those shots were there and you have to make shots.
On state of half-court offense: Again, we missed shots. Teams like Arlington have to decide are we going to guard them out there. We had some great ball movement and shots. Those are things that we practice and stuff that we do. We drove baseline and kicked across to the corners and swung it. We were actually telling a couple guys when they passed that it was a nice extra pass but you have to be ready to shoot. Connor [Lammert] was 0-for-4 and there were three other times I told him he has to be ready to shoot the ball. We just missed shots tonight and the shots came in the flow of the offense. Those shots were there and we're going to have to make those shots.
On potentially not looking as crisp: I'm telling you, we moved the ball. We didn't make shots. I don't know what else to tell you. I could put the tape in right now and would tell you that these guys have to take those shots. Sometimes they just don't go in. It's all pretty when it goes in. Jon Holmes came in shooting 62 percent from three and he was 1-for-7. You have nights like that. Connor Lammert, he was 0-for-3, and shots that we work on and expect those guys to take.
On 13 blocked shots: We can block shots and we want to do that. We were really trying to run them off the three-point line early and that's going to give up some penetration early. I think when you play a team like Arlington where you know the talent level is different, you don't want to give up threes. We did a great job of not putting them on the free-throw line. We did a great job of getting to the free-throw line.
Forward Jonathan Holmes
On the team's slow start: We came out slow. We've got to do a better job and understand that if we do this against Kentucky we're not going to win. We have got to get better
On the team adjusting to the absence of Isiah Taylor: Definitely. Having some guys like Kendal Yancy and Demarcus Holland on point, it will help us with our depth whenever Isiah Taylor comes back. Right now we're just trying to find our way and get better in those situations.
On if they have seen how big Kentucky is and how does it compare to them: Yeah, but we go against some big guys every day in practice. It's not too much different from what we see every day. It will be fun going against another team that has some of the same size we have. We haven't played anyone like them and they haven't played anyone like us.
Forward Myles Turner
On the message of Coach Barnes during halftime: Coach (Barnes) just wanted us to put this one away and get ready for the next game. We'll put this behind us, we're going to watch film, get better from it, but more than anything we've got to be able to be ready for the task at hand.
On his free-throw shooting being a strength: It's something I can contribute to the team. Some teams are going to continue to foul the big men expecting us not to be able to knock them down. It's something I work on every day in practice.
On how big is to get a 10-point win when they didn't play their best game: It's a confidence booster more than anything. When we can play as bad as we did with numbers like 3-for-11, 0-for-6, it's just great that we were able to pull it out as a team.
UT Arlington Quotes
Head Coach Scott Cross
Opening statement: I thought it was a very good game on our part, could possibly be our best game of the year to be honest, minus the rebounding. This is one of the best Texas teams I've seen. Obviously beating the national champion defending team the other night shows what they have. I am really proud of our guys, what they did tonight, to be able to hold them to a low percentage I thought was a credit to our guys. I thought they were as locked in defensively as they have been all year long.
On the timing of the game: Yeah obviously, we played our worst basketball of the year our last game and then traveled for 22 hours, so I would assume that probably the huge win that they had and the emotions that come with it and having to travel all that way, I'm sure that put a toll on their players.
On if Texas matches up with Kentucky: I honestly think they can play with them without a doubt. When I left Kentucky, I didn't think anyone could play with them but watching Texas on tape I think they match up very well, obviously when they get all their guys healthy and get Isaiah Taylor back. Kentucky's depth is off the charts, but Texas, their big guys are just as good as Kentucky's. They probably have as good a chance as anyone in the country to play with them.
