Augustin Gets Texas Off to Fast Start

D.J. Augustin scored 27 points and No. 7 Texas rolled over No. 22 Texas A&M, 77-50, last night in Austin for the Longhorns' sixth straight win.

The rout was a reversal of the Aggies' 17-point win in College Station on Jan. 30, which was Texas's last loss. The Longhorns (22-4, 9-2 Big 12) ran away with this one with a 16-4 run to open the game.

Augustin nearly outscored Texas A&M (20-6, 6-5) by himself in the first half with 17 points as Texas built a 39-18 lead. The Longhorns blocked 12 shots and used a stifling defense to hold the Aggies to 19 percent shooting in the first half and its lowest scoring output of the season.

Damion James added 15 points and nine rebounds for Texas. Josh Carter scored 11 points to lead Texas A&M, which trailed by 20 points almost the entire second half.

SOUTH CAROLINA ST. 74, HOWARD 61: Julius Carter made all nine of his free throws en route to 19 points to lead the Bulldogs to victory in Washington.

Carrio Bennett added 14 points and Thomas Bookman 13 to help South Carolina State (9-17, 5-7 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) snap a three-game slide.

Randy Hampton scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half and Eugene Myatt also scored 17 points for the Bison (5-21, 2-9), who have lost six in a row.

Ohio State Women Win

In Columbus, Ohio, Marscilla Packer scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half to help the No. Buckeyes to a 72-56 win over Purdue.

Ohio State (19-6, 10-4 Big Ten) passed the Boilermakers (14-12, 10-5) and closed within a half game of first-place Iowa, which visits the Buckeyes on Thursday.

SOUTH CAROLINA ST. 106, HOWARD 78: Marie Reid came off the bench to make 14 of 17 shots and score 31 points to lead four players in double figures for the visiting Bulldogs at Burr Gymnasium.

Jennell Moore added 20 points and 13 rebounds for South Carolina State (10-13, 7-5 MEAC), which held a 58-33 rebounding advantage over the Lady Bison (3-21, 2-9), who got 15 points from Asha Santee.