Atchley powers Longhorns past Texas St.

Connor Atchley scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and No. 4 Texas fought off pesky Texas State for a 96-81 win Saturday night to stay perfect on the season.

D.J. Augustin overcame a 1-of-7 shooting start to score 24 points for Texas (10-0), which ran its record to 80-7 against in-state opponents over the last 10 years. A.J. Abrams added 20 points for the Longhorns.

Brent Benson scored 15 to lead Texas State (5-4), which frustrated Texas early and threatened an upset. The Bobcats trailed by only two at halftime before dropping their third straight game.

Atchley was 9-of-11 shooting and his 14 points in the first half helped dig the Longhorns out of an early deficit. His 3-pointers in the second provided the big shots when the Longhorns needed them. The Bobcats had cut a 20-point Texas lead to 11 when Atchley buried a 3-pointer from the right wing with just under three minutes to play.

Playing their first game in a week, the Longhorns got off to a sloppy start with three quick turnovers and misfires on several open looks.

Abrams had 10 points before any of his teammates had made even two baskets. The Longhorns missed eight of their first nine 3-pointers and didn't didn't take their first lead, 16-15, until midway through the first half.

The Bobcats kept it close by hitting several long 3-pointers and pressure defense that seemed to disrupt the Longhorns' attack. Texas State used 13 players to keep sending fresh bodies onto the court.

Atchley finished the half with a flurry, scoring 14 points over the final 10 minutes to help Texas take a 42-40 lead into the break.

Texas seemed ready to seize control early in the second with a 14-6 run that opened up a 56-46 lead when Atchley hit a 3-pointer. Augustin hit two tough shots off spinning drives in the lane to build the lead to 64-50.

The Bobcats rallied to cut it to six on Corey Jefferson's short jumper, but started to miss the shots that were falling in the first half and watched Texas stretch the lead from the free throw line. The Longhorns were 22-of-30 from the line in the second half.

Augustin scored seven straight points and Atchley hit another 3-pointer from deep in the left corner to make it 76-62. When Abrams hit a 3-pointer from right side and Atchley followed it with a 3-point play after a tough putback, the Longhorns led 86-65.