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No. 5 Texas runs away from Texas State

Dec 16, 2007 - 2:41 AM AUSTIN, Texas (Ticker) -- Texas State decided to run with Texas and eventually ran themselves out of the game.

Connor Atchley scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help the fifth-ranked Longhorns pull away for a 96-81 victory over the Bobcats on Saturday.

D.J. Augustin added 24 points and A.J. Abrams had 20 as Texas (10-0) won its first 10 games for the first time since the 1981-82 season and beat its intrastate rival for the 19th straight time.

D.J. and A.J. gave me some good looks so I just wanted to give them some assists," Atchley said. "I am getting more comfortable on the court and practicing every day to get better."

The Longhorns had their hands full in the first half against Texas State (5-4), which played at a frenetic pace and was coming off a 109-73 drubbing to then-No. 16 Texas A&M a week ago.

Texas State took its final lead at 37-36 on Dylan Moseley's 3-pointer with 2:10 left in the half and went to the break trailing, 42-40. Atchley had 14 points at the half and shot 9-of-11 for the game from the floor.

"I was kind of off and my teammates stepped up and made the big shots," Augustin said. "Connor played great and that is what we need from everybody. That is why we're a team; we all need to step up."

It was still a two-point game early in the second half before Texas went on an 18-6 run to extend the margin to 64-50 with 13:27 left.

Augustin, who scored 17 points in the second half, started the spurt with a layup and capped it by scoring back-to-back runners in the lane.

"We got great shots, but we just didn't make them," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "But that isn't what bothers me, I don't have a problem with that. It's the defense I am concerned about. We weren't solid and some guys didn't do the job they needed to do. We got happy feet and we were jumping around."

The Bobcats twice whittled the lead down to six points before Augustin hit another runner and converted a three-point play to ignite a 12-0 burst that extended the margin to 80-62 with 8:24 to play.

"They're really playing fast and letting Augustin create a la Phoenix Suns style," Texas State coach Doug Davalos said. "We knew we had to keep it out of his hands. They have good guards all over the court, but any second and third option besides D.J. bringing the ball up the floor and running their offense is better to us, so our emphasis was to keep it out of his hands."

A 3-pointer by Abrams pushed the advantage to 20 points and Texas State never got the lead under double digits thereafter.

Brent Benson scored 15 points and Corey Jefferson added 14 for the Bobcats, which has not won in Austin since 1937.

"Everyone is a good team so you can't underestimate anyone," Atchley said. "They press hard and they're everywhere so you have to make sure you stay in control and play your own pace."