Abrams Leads Texas to 73-42 Victory

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A.J. Abrams scored 21 points and Texas (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) coasted to a 73-42 victory Friday night over UC Davis, which is playing its first season as a full-fledged Division I program.

Abrams, who was scoreless in the first half of Texas' season-opener three days earlier, found his 3-point shooting touch early and had 12 points by halftime for the Longhorns (2-0).

Abrams set a Big 12 record with 120 3-pointers last season and hit three from long range against the Aggies (1-2). D.J. Augustin had 10 points and 11 assists for the Longhorns and Connor Atchley scored 11 points.

Shane Hanson led UC Davis with 12 points.

The Aggies kept it close in the first half with six 3-pointers, three of them coming in the final seconds of the shot clock. Abrams was 5 of 8 shooting in the half as Texas took a 35-29 lead into halftime.

UC Davis kept the pace at a crawl in the second, but starting missing 3-pointers. Justin Mason's reverse layup to finish a fast break capped a 7-2 run to open the half that pushed the Texas lead to 42-31.

The Aggies missed their first five 3-pointers of the second. Texas blew it open when Alexis Wangmene converted a 3-point play and Augustin and Atchley hit consecutive 3-pointers to make it 57-40 with 11:30 to play.

At that point, UC Davis seemed content to take the loss. The Aggies stayed in their slow-motion offense while Texas sat back and let them work the ball around the perimeter, bleeding seconds and minutes off the clock before scooping up the rebounds off missed shots.

Texas went six minutes without scoring but still maintained at least a 15-point lead. UC Davis shot 30 percent for the game and 7-of-28 on 3-pointers, hitting 1-of-15 in the second half.