Web posted
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Augustin's stellar first half paces Texas
By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Nearly three weeks ago, Texas walked off the court a dejected and submissive team after getting blown out by rival Texas A&M.
Harshly -- and publicly -- criticized by their coach after that debacle, the No. 7 Longhorns haven't been the same team since. And Monday night, they showed the No. 22 Aggies just how far they've come with a 77-50 win in the rematch.
Texas went toe-to-toe with the bigger, stronger Aggies for 40 minutes. While D.J. Augustin dribbled and dazzled his way to 27 points and nine assists, forward Damion James and the Longhorns blocked 12 shots and matched the Aggies in rebounding and scoring under the basket.
This time, it was the Aggies sulking away after a loss that seemed to indicate two teams going in very different directions.
''We whipped them and they whipped us,'' A&M coach Mark Turgeon said. ''It's even.''
Not in the Big 12 standings it isn't.
Texas (22-4, 9-2) has won six in a row since losing to A&M. The Longhorns are tied for first and starting to calculate their NCAA tournament position. The Aggies (20-6, 6-5) meanwhile, have lost two straight and can't get out of the middle of the pack.
In other Top 25 games on Monday night, it was: No. 10 Xavier 81, Rhode Island 77; No. 12 Georgetown 68, Providence 58; No. 18 Louisville 61, Syracuse 50; and No. 23 Saint Mary's 100, Pepperdine 64.
Defense has been the key for Texas' turnaround. A&M shot just 6-of-31 in the first half and Texas blocked 12 shots in the game.
''We've come together on the defensive end. That's the single biggest thing that we've done over the past two weeks,'' Longhorns coach Rick Barnes said.
Texas also a got spectacular game from point guard Augustin, who is capable of pulling them off more often but had struggled of late.
Augustin nearly outscored the Aggies by himself in the first half with 17 points as Texas took a 39-18 lead into halftime.
''He did everything for that team tonight, give him credit. He came out and played at a level no else played at,'' A&M's Josh Carter said. ''It was embarrassing tonight.''
From the start, the teams traded bruising screens, blocked shots, dunks and menacing stares between the big men in a physical contest typical of this heated rivalry.
Texas charged up the sellout crowd with a 16-4 run in the first 5 minutes with four 3-pointers and a pair of blocked shots. James, who was singled out by Barnes after a poor effort in the first meeting, grabbed Texas' first two rebounds and hit the Longhorns' first 3-pointer of the game.
James and Augustin seemed to be everywhere in the first half.
In one sequence, Connor Atchley started a fast break with a steal and fed a quick outlet to Augustin before James finished it with two-handed dunk. A minute later, James blocked a shot from behind, then flew in to snag the rebound off the backboard to start another break.
Augustin made two 3s, then fed a tricky pass in the lane for an easy layup. When he pulled up for a soft jumper in the lane over Bryan Davis, Texas led 37-14.
Misfiring from the outside, the Aggies tried to use their muscle inside to start the second half. Three quick fouls and two more blocked shots, including one when Atchley stopped 7-footer DeAndre Jordan, left Turgeon rubbing his temples during the first timeout of the half.
If Texas was giving him a headache, it only got worse. Augustin hit another off-balance jumper and Justin Mason was left wide open for a 3 that put Texas up 51-27.
Things were going so badly for A&M that when Jordan snagged a rebound deep in the lane and tried to tomahawk a dunk, he caught the front of the rim and ball went flying back up in the air.
Texas hit nine 3-pointers while the Aggies were 1-of-14 from long range. The Aggies also missed 12 of 23 free throws.
''Guys have to make free throws and open shots,'' Turgeon said. ''They're on scholarship, they're supposed to be really good players, so they need to step up and do those things.''
Barnes ripped his team after losing to A&M. Maybe Turgeon's words will turn the Aggies around as well.
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