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Sharp-shooting Arriaran carries Texas to 77-63 win

Jan 21, 2010 - 4:29 AM By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer

AUSTIN, Texas(AP) -- Texas needed a jolt. For one game at least, Erika Arriaran provided a thunderbolt.

Arriaran scored a career-high 28 points, hitting eight 3-pointers, to carry the No. 20 Longhorns to a 77-63 win over No. 12 Oklahoma State on Wednesday night, Texas' second straight victory after an 0-2 start in the Big 12.

Arriaran set a school record for 3-pointers in a Big 12 game as Texas (13-5) snapped Oklahoma State's 11-game winning streak.

"I can't remember the last time I felt like that," Arriaran said. "I was in a dream."

It's been a long time coming for the fifth-year senior whose career had been sidetracked by injuries and the burden of carrying the lofty expectations of the top recruit in the country coming out of high school.

"It put chills up my spine," Arriaran said.

Texas trailed 43-36 early in the second before Arriaran made two 3-pointers to start a game-changing Texas run. She was 8 of 11 from long range.

Texas needed everything Arriaran had to overcome another big night from Oklahoma State's Andrea Riley, the school's career scoring leader who had 31 points. She has scored at least 30 points in four straight games.

Tegan Cunningham scored 19 points for Oklahoma State (15-3, 3-1) but Texas' reserves, including Arriaran, outscored Oklahoma State's 42-2.

"When you bring in a high school All-American (Arriaran) off the bench, that's quite a luxury to have," Oklahoma State coach Kurt Budke said.

Texas led 31-27 at halftime despite having Brittainey Raven, their leading scorer, spend almost the entire first half on the bench after two early fouls. Raven had drawn the defensive assignment of covering Riley.

Raven picked up her third foul early in the second and Cunningham put Oklahoma State ahead 39-35 with a baseline jumper. The Cowgirls pushed the lead to 43-36 before Arriaran reeled them back in with eight consecutive points in an 18-3 run that put Texas up 54-46 with 9:13 to play.

Arriaran, who had made just one basket in Texas' previous two games, had an easy time finding her shot against Oklahoma State's defense, which seemed to sag off the Longhorns on the perimeter. Her eight 3-pointers were the most by a Texas player since Danielle Viglione made 11 against Houston in 1994.

"She has just a beautiful jump shot. We probably should have adjusted and tried something else," Oklahoma State coach Kurt Budke said.

Yvonne Anderson, who had to guard Riley because Raven was in foul trouble, made a pair of superb defensive plays as Texas steadily built on the lead.

Anderson's steal and layup put Texas up by 11 before she poked the ball away from Riley, who got upset there was no foul called and was hit with a technical foul. Raven made both free throws before Arriaran drifted to the left wing and made another 3-pointer. Arriaran's eighth 3-pointer 90 seconds later put Texas up 69-49 with 4:49 to play.

"I went in with the mindset do your job. I'm going to guard hard, go for everything, but play smart," Anderson said.

Texas had given up at least 90 points in the previous three games before holding Oklahoma State to 40-percent shooting.

"Defense is about focus, heart and hustle," coach Gail Goestenkors said. "I think that the team was really locked in on what our game plan was."