Who Needs Durant?
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by Nejoshi
Rick Barnes and the University of Texas basketball team were supposed to be in the midst of a massive rebuilding process when college superstar Kevin Durant, the first freshman to ever be named Player of the Year, bolted for the NBA last June. While extremely skilled, especially in the backcourt, Texas was expected to experience the inevitable growing pains that come with replacing someone of Durant’s caliber. However, someone forgot to give Barnes’ supremely talented team the memo. The Longhorns notched their second win over a top-10 team in [1] this young season, this time taking down co-number one UCLA in its own building, and ending its 25-game home winning streak in the process. The 63-61 victory was as dramatic as they come, with Texas coming up with a stirring comeback in the final moments to walk out of Pauley Pavilion with a truly impressive victory.
Sophomore D.J, Augustin made his claim as one of the best point guards in the land, leading the team with 19 points during a ferocious battle with Preseason 1st-team All America Darren Collison of the Bruins. However, it was the play of fellow sophomore Damion James that really opened eyes. The 6-7 forward also had 19 points, to go along with 10 rebounds, and a thunderous put back dunk with 7 seconds to go that provided the game winning field goal. With talented swingman A.J. Abrams being held down most of the night, it was James who stepped up and provided valuable scoring to complement Augustin.
After facing an early 10-4 deficit, Barnes switched to a 2-3 zone, a radical change of pace, considering Texas’ infatuation with pushing the ball down the floor at will. But, the zone worked to perfection as UCLA struggled to knock down shots from outside, settling for three pointers that just wouldn’t fall. The Bruins went scoreless for nearly nine minutes in the first half as the Longhorns went on a 26-4 run to take a 16-point lead.
Facing a 12-point deficit at the break, UCLA came out a different team in the second half. An 8-0 run in the opening minutes made it a competitive contest again, a game that looked destined to be decided in the final minutes.
Once UCLA finally regained the lead at 41-40 at the 13 minute mark, the boxing match began, with no team taking bigger than a four point lead the rest of the way. The Bruins tremendous second half comeback looked to be in great shape when back-to-back layups by Lorenzo Mata-Real and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute put them up 59-55 with three minutes to go.
That was when the Longhorns took control. Augustin (left) hit a trey to quiet the raucous crowd, pulling Texas within one, then junior Connor Atchley tied it two minutes later when he hit a three-pointer off a great look from Augustin, who had gotten into the lane and drawn Atchley’s defender with ease.
The last minute was rough for Mbah a Moute, who led the Bruins with 14 points. First the junior forward missed the front end of a one and one on UCLA’s second to last possession, setting up the Longhorns for the game winning shot. Then, following James dunk gave Texas the lead, Mbah a Moute missed a three at the buzzer that would have given UCLA the win.
The Longhorns improved to 7-0, and one month into their first season without Durant, are looking better than ever. Augustin has continued to improve from his stellar freshman year, and has become one of the top five point guards in America. A.J Abrams, although held down all night by UCLA’s gritty defense, has become a big time scorer as Augustin’s running mate in the backcourt. And, who can forget about James, the third sophomore of this terrific trio, a man that emerged on Sunday night to finally give Texas a stud in the paint. Who would have thought that Durant leaving early would be the best thing that ever happened to this team?
![[1]](http://assets.espn.go.com/media/apphoto/769f2abc-b624-48d8-bc5d-c2c26f53c342.jpg){kind=link}