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Durant's 3-pointer puts Texas back in Big 12 title game

Mar 11, 2007 - 12:38 AM AUSTIN, Texas (Ticker) -- Freshman Kevin Durant answered the call for Texas once again. Durant hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 46 seconds remaining as No. 14 Texas booked a return trip to the Big 12 Conference tournament championship game with a 69-64 victory over Oklahoma State.

Winning a second straight meeting with the Cowboys since the memorable triple-overtime thriller at Oklahoma State on January 16, the Longhorns (24-8) did enough down the stretch to continue their title hopes.

Advancing to the tourney championship game for the fourth time since 2001, Texas will square off against No. 2 Kansas in search of its first title. Last year, it absorbed an 80-68 loss to the Jayhawks.

After his 24-point second half on Friday helped the Longhorns rallied from a 20-point deficit against Baylor for the biggest comeback in tournament history, Durant came up with another big shot.

With the score tied at 61-61 with less than a minute remaining, the recently named Big 12 Player and Freshman of the Year took a pass toward the top of the key and knocked down a contested shot for his second 3-pointer of the game.

The Cowboys' Byron Eaton tried to make a play on the other end, but threw a ill-advised pass toward the foul line after driving down the left side of the lane. That pass was stolen by A.J. Abrams, who was immediately fouled and sank two free throws for a 66-61 advantage with 26 seconds left.

Eaton, who finished 1-of-9 from the field, then missed two attempts from the arc before Abrams was fouled on the rebound and converted two more from the stripe to make it a seven-point game with 12 ticks to play.

Durant finished with 26 points on 11-of-24 shooting and Abrams added 20 for Texas, which overcame 38 percent (23-of-61) shooting by make 15-of-17 free throws.

JamesOn Curry had 24 points and Mario Boggan added 21 for Oklahoma State (22-12), which committed 16 turnovers leading to 20 points for Texas.