Don't feel bad Bruins
If you're feeling down, UCLA, about being upset at home 63-61 Sunday by the now No. 4 Texas Longhorns, don't.
You're fretting because D.J. Augustine is probably the only one of the Longhorns you've ever heard of. Well, Kevin Durant's presence will do that. Texas was furtively developing a legion of young talent last year while the country was fixed on the player of the year.
The Longhorns started four freshman and a sophomore last season (with two other freshmen and a sophomore playing heavy minutes). Quietly turning into not only a premiere point guard but a premiere player last season, was Augustine. Ask Darren Collison how he turned out. Running next to the the player of the year has a way of skewing perception.
I wasn't sure how Augustine would react to the role of unquestioned leader as a sophomore. But really, the versatile point guard fits it better than Durant. Think about it, he is has the ball in his hands most of the time with the capability to distribute and score. Where as, if Durant has the ball in his hands he's probably going to do one thing - score.
With 19 points on Sunday Augustine outplayed Collison, a fringe first-round pick last season had he opted for the NBA. (Yes, Collison deserves a little sympathy for having just come off a knee injury) Augustine had 23 points and eight assists Nov. 24 when the Longhorns beat then No. 7 Tennessee by 19. Take nothing away from Durant and his greatness, but this team is for real because now it is just that, a team.
Sophomore power forward Damion James was so effected by Durant's presence that Rick Barnes almost reflixively yelled at him anytime he took a shot that wasn't a lay-up. Defense and rebounding have never been a problem the 6-foot-7, 230-pound athletic freak but all of a sudden the scoring prowess he displayed at Nacogdoches (Tx.) High is showing up in college a year later. Funny what kind of void is left by the nation's fourth leading scorer. All James did this past week was average 19 points and 10 boards in earning Big 12 player of the week honors while Texas beat two top 10 teams. He's got a sweet mid range jumper that he can shoot over just about anybody.
Junior A.J. Abrams, the veteran of the group, provides a top-notch outside shooting presence, one UCLA was so concerned about the Bruins didn't allow Russell Westbrook to leave him to play help defense.
The Longhorns weakness is no longer flighty freshman but interior defense and rebounding. But Kevin Love, whose cause wasn't aided by foul trouble on Sunday, proved a little too green to exploint another 'veteran' Longhorn even though junior Conner Atchley weighs about half as much as Love. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Alfred Aboya couldn't solve James' defense.
Durant's absence is forcing Texas to play more like a team, not sit back and rely on a superstar. Ask UCLA about that, the Bruins know a little about team ball.