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No. 3 Texas posts easy win at Oklahoma

Feb 10, 2011 - 6:09 AM Norman, OK (Sports Network) - Jordan Hamilton scored 20 points, Gary Johnson had 14 and No. 3 Texas coasted to a 68-52 victory over Oklahoma on Wednesday to remain unbeaten in the Big 12.

Dogus Balbay added 12 points, while Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph chipped in 11 apiece as the Longhorns (21-3, 9-0 Big 12) earned their ninth straight double-digit win over conference opponents.

Andrew Fitzgerald scored 16 points and Steven Pledger had 13 for the Sooners (12-11, 4-5), who have dropped two straight on the heels of a four-game winning streak.

The Longhorns beat Oklahoma for the second time during their streak, also knocking off their northern neighbors in a 66-46 rout last month.

This one wasn't much closer.

"Texas is very good," said Sooners head coach Jeff Capel. "They're the best team we have played all year by far. I think they have all the ingredients to really make a deep run. I though we competed, they are just better than us."

Balbay scored six of his 12 points during a 16-4 Texas run to open the game and the Longhorns never let their lead dip into single digits the rest of the way.

The advantage reached 18 points just before the half when Johnson hit two free throws. Pledger scored on a jumper after that to draw Oklahoma within 28-44 going into the locker room.

"Our defense was really, really good to start the game," said Texas head coach Rick Barnes. "I thought that Dogus (Balbay) and Gary Johnson really did a nice job of getting the starting force on the defensive end. We got out and we ran and got some baskets that way."

Texas shot a scorching 63 percent in the first half, then cooled off to shoot 40 percent in the second.

But it didn't matter. The Sooners, who were coming off an 81-75 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday, never managed to get closer than 14 points in the final 20 minutes.

They were within 48-34 with 16:33 to play, but Texas followed with a 9-1 run to take its largest lead of the game at 22 points when Hamilton's jumper made it 57-35.

The Sooners only cut their deficit to 14 points one more time when Fitzgerald's jumper in the final minutes made it 66-52.

Game Notes

The Longhorns shot 53 percent for the game, while Oklahoma shot 32 percent...Texas hasn't lost since falling in overtime to Connecticut on January 8 in its non-conference finale...Oklahoma still leads the all-time series with the Longhorns, 47-31.