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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
AUSTIN, Texas -- Chris Owens dominated and Maurice Evans was
frustrated.
|  | | Texas guard Freddie Williams gets the ball slapped away by Navy's Robert Reeder while Reggie Skipworth, left, watches.
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Both came through when Texas needed them most against a Navy
team the Longhorns probably expected to blow away.
Owens had a career-high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds and
Evans shook off a difficult shooting night to score 13 points as
Texas beat Navy 79-65 Monday night in the opening round of the
Preseason NIT.
The Longhorns advanced to the second round and will play
California, which beat Mississippi State 83-76 in overtime, on
Wednesday night.
Dominating under the basket like former Texas All-America center Chris
Mihm, the 6-foot-9, 250-pound Owens started the game with a dunk
and bulled his way inside for close-range shots and rebounds.
Evans came in with the burden of having been chosen the Big 12
preseason player of the year by both the media and coaches and
played like he was nervous.
The transfer from Wichita State was just 4-for-14 from the field,
including 1-for-8 from 3-point range. Nonetheless, his dunk and
3-pointer in the second half stopped a Navy rally before the
Longhorns pulled away.
Texas built a 37-16 first-half lead as Owens and freshman James
Thomas scored almost at will. That's when Navy coach Don DeVoe gave
up trying to match Texas with man-to-man defense and started
creating turnovers by using a zone to clog up the passing lanes.
The Midshipmen closed the first half with 11 consecutive points and
pulled to 39-35 in the second on a jumper by Jehiel Lewis. His
16 points led Navy, which returned four starters from the 23-6 team of last season.
"I told (Owens) right now is when we need your leadership,"
Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "I told him that our young guys
don't know the game isn't over.
"We're going to play some teams that are going to make some
runs on you. I know that. I don't think they know that yet. It's
hard to beat people by big numbers," Barnes said.
Owens converted a three-point play during an 11-6 run that made
it 50-41. Evans followed with a tomahawk dunk off a rebound and his
3-pointer on the next possession put Texas ahead 55-41.
After Owens hit a layup and Chris McColpin followed with another
3-pointer, Texas led 62-41 with 11:47 left to play.
"Everybody on this team has a role to fill," Owens said. "And
that's what I had to do."
Texas kept pounding the ball inside, muscling for 44 points in
the paint compared to just 26 for Navy. Thomas, the first freshman
to start a Longhorns season opener since 1991, scored 11 points on
5-for-6 shooting and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
"They are dedicated to taking it to you in the paint and that's
what this game was," DeVoe said.
Frustrated inside with Texas' physical play, Navy tried to rally
from the perimeter but was 6-for-19 from 3-point range. The
Midshipmen also missed their chances from the foul line, going
11-for-26, and managed just four fastbreak points even though Texas
committed 23 turnovers.
Texas was just 18-for-33 from the free-throw line.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Navy Clubhouse
Texas Clubhouse
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