Nov. 23, 2009
Hello Longhorn fans,
Basketball season is well under way and we're on our first road trip, in Kansas City for the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic. The tournament helps in two ways. We get to play against solid competition and we get a chance to play at the Sprint Center, where the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships will be played later this year.
There are two things besides basketball that we always do on the road - study and eat. We got our fill of both on Sunday.
We left for Kansas City following a Sunday afternoon practice. Everyone on the team was ready for a nap on the two hour flight, but Randa Ryan, our academic services coordinator was cracking the whip and we all spent the entire trip in study hall.
After checking into the hotel, we were headed back out to a pleasant surprise waiting for us. We got an opportunity to attend a reception prior to the College Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson both made their way over to shake hands and talk with our team. It was an awesome experience. The thing you always forget about Magic Johnson, because of how skilled he was handling the ball, is how tall he is. Magic stood eye-to-eye with me. I know most of us will never forget meeting two of the best players of all time.
We ended the day with a feast at Stroud's. The place is world famous for its pan-fried chicken. We got our fill of chicken, gizzards, shrimp, potatoes and some of the best cinnamon rolls you could imagine.
Finally, we got back to the hotel at 9 p.m. and we had an opportunity to take that nap.
The field for the CBE Classic is solid and we should be tested. Both games are on national television, so be sure to tune in. We play Iowa tonight on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. Central. We've played Big 10 teams a couple times while I've been here, and we're prepared for a physical game. On Tuesday we will face either Pittsburgh or Wichita State, so it won't get any easier.
Be sure to tune in tonight and tomorrow and we'll see you back in Austin.
Hook 'em,
Dexter Pittman
Pittman at the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic in Kansas City, MO
Photo Courtesy of:
Success Achieved in Future Environments
ARLINGTON – The return of Dexter Pittman as a dominant inside force was the result of a single question last week.
By the end of Texas' 103-90 win Saturday over North Carolina, little doubt was left about Pittman's ability to impact games.
The numbers told part of the story: Pittman finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds, including 12 off the offensive glass. Texas won the rebounding battle 60-41 against a tall, talented front line. North Carolina coach Roy Williams filled in the blanks.
"Texas just killed us on the backboards," Williams said, taking a shot at the hype his team had received. "The so-called 'best front line in America' ... Dexter Pittman sort of kicked our tail by himself."
Said Pittman: "I took it as a personal challenge. Hey, it's Carolina. You either go there or want to play against them, like people view us in football."
Second-ranked Texas (10-0) survived its toughest test so far, with Michigan State headed to Austin on Tuesday.
Texas coach Rick Barnes downplayed the result as a "December game." But while championships can't be won in the 12th month, statements can be made.
In front of 38,052 in the first basketball game at Cowboys Stadium, Texas showed against the defending national champions that it has the potential for a special season.
"By the end of the season, this has a chance, in my opinion, to be the best Texas team that Rick has had since he's been there," Williams said, "and he took a team to the Final Four." 
Pittman wasn't alone.
Senior Damion James added 25 points and 15 rebounds.
When North Carolina closed to within four points with seven minutes remaining, James defined the game's biggest sequence. James went to the basket, drew a foul on Ed Davis and completed a 3-point play.
After a Tar Heel turnover, Pittman dunked inside and the lead was back to nine. North Carolina was never closer than seven.
"I want the ball every time, to be honest with you, especially in clutch time," James said.
Freshman guards Avery Bradley and J'Covan Brown made certain that North Carolina couldn't concentrate on James and Pittman. The two combined for 41 points and five 3-pointers.
The key factor was Pittman. After a breakout Big 12 tournament last season, he had been only OK this season. He approached Barnes last week and asked what he could do to get better.
"Do you want me to tell you or show you?" Barnes asked in return.
The next thing the 6-10, 290-pound Pittman knew, he was going through a grueling one-man, full-court workout. He had a personal seven-second clock to get down the court.
"It was getting me to play through tiredness," Pittman said, unaware of how long it lasted. "It felt like days."
In the second half, Pittman said Texas held the conditioning edge.
Still, he asked for a breather with four minutes remaining, and was quickly reminded of his importance by James and Brown in the huddle. Barnes admitted that he had pushed Pittman hard and liked the result.
"He played as well as I've ever seen him play," Barnes said.
Dexter Pittman and No. 2 Texas ready for showdown with No. 9 Michigan State
December 22, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- Dexter Pittman admits he needed to get mad. And Texas coach Rick Barnes knew how to push the proper buttons to accomplish that.
Before the Longhorns faced North Carolina on Saturday, Barnes led Pittman into the gym for an early season message. Running and conducting drills for an hour and a half was a way to jolt Pittman out of his "mentally relaxed" mode, Pittman said.
"Like an NBA predraft camp but harder," he said.
Pittman grasped the message and delivered with 23 points and 15 rebounds in a 103-90 victory against the Tar Heels. Everyone else got the message too.
"Me and Damion James just had to go out and show (we) belong in the top front lines in the country," the 6-foot-10 senior said.
Pittman knows the next challenge is following through.
After taking out the 2009 national champion, the No. 2 Longhorns (10-0) have a shot to wipe out the runner-up when No. 9 Michigan State (9-2) visits Austin on Tuesday night.
"We have to go out and be tougher than they are and put our will out there," Pittman said.
The Longhorns aren't eager to smooth the chips on their shoulders -- Kansas being ranked No. 1, North Carolina's front line being deemed best in the nation.
"We're the underdog even in football, playing Alabama," Pittman said, referring to the BCS championship game.
With a strong backcourt but inexperienced post players, Michigan State poses different challenges than the Tar Heels.
Barnes called Spartans point guard Kalin Lucas "arguably the best in the country."
The Spartans have won three straight against Texas thanks to forward Raymar Morgan, who averages 14.7 points against the Longhorns. While the Spartans have stumbled against quality teams so far, Morgan could determine their success. In the last six games, he's scoring 13.8 points per game while shooting 63.6 percent.
a symphony orchestra.
Led by James' 16.4-point average, four starters average double digits and nine players average at least 17 minutes. Pittman averages 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds.
He has lost about 100 pounds since arriving on campus and now weighs 290, which has allowed him not only to attack the basket more freely but also to walk around a little more comfortably in the locker room.
"Look at his before and after pictures," Barnes said. "He wouldn't take his shirt off in a dark room. Now he takes it off and says, 'Hey, look at me.' He feels good about how hard he's worked, and he should."
Barnes aims for Pittman to play about 26 minutes. He hit that target against North Carolina.
The feeling from that gym session with Barnes won't wear off soon, Pittman said.
"I see why he did it," Pittman said. "I'm angry, so I'll just take my rage out on the team we're playing."
Damion James got his fourth consecutive double-double for the cold-shooting Longhorns (13-0) with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Longhorns won their first 12 games by at least 11 points. The Islanders (5-7) broke that streak by holding Texas to 35 percent shooting and outrebounding the Longhorns 47-37. If not for 25 turnovers, the Islanders may have may have had a chance to pull off the upset.
Kevin Palmer scored 28 for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which cut the lead to 74-68 with 36 seconds left before Texas' Jordan Hamilton made two free throws.
Pittman leads No. 2 Texas over Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. | Dexter Pittman threw down a powerful dunk while drawing a foul, then flexed his big arms while heading to the free throw line.
It was a bold gesture in a game that was still close, but Pittman and No. 2 Texas were about to go on a run.
“I know my teammates depend on me to get plays like that,” Pittman said. “Finish strong.”
Pittman had 21 points and 10 rebounds, overwhelming Arkansas inside as the Longhorns remained unbeaten with a 96-85 victory Tuesday night.
The Longhorns, 14-0, made nine of 11 shots during a 20-9 run in breaking from a 48-48 halftime tie.
Pittman’s dunk started that run. The 6-foot-10, 290-pound senior finished 10 of 15 from the field, and neither Michael Washington nor 6-7 Marshawn Powell could handle him down low for the Razorbacks.
“It was like a little point guard trying to guard Shaq,” Powell said. “It’s impossible. He is a man.”
Rotnei Clarke scored 24 points for Arkansas, 7-8, which cut the margin to two in the final minutes but couldn’t pull even.
Arkansas beat Texas 67-61 here last January, but the Razorbacks are only 9-23 since. The Longhorns were much more impressive offensively this time around, shooting 59 percent from the field.
Arkansas trailed 86-84 after Washington scored on an offensive rebound, but Damion James made an open shot from near the free throw line, and Jordan Hamilton’s dunk with just under a minute remaining made it a six-point game.
James finished with 20 points and nine rebounds despite playing only 17 minutes because of foul trouble.
Photo Credit: April L. Brown AP
Pittman's burst propels No. 21 Texas to 69-59 win
Pittman made all five of his field goals and scored nine points in a key run in the second half to push the Longhorns (22-6 8-5 Big 12) to just their fifth win in 11 games after a 17-0 start that saw them reach No. 1.
Damion James led Texas with 19 points. It was the first game for Texas since losing starting point guard Dogus Balbay for the season with a knee injury. Justin Mason played a key role in holding Big 12 scoring leader James Anderson to 14 points.
Obi Muonelo scored 14 points for Oklahoma State (19-8, 7-6).
The Longhorns have now consecutive games for the first time in more than a month, and this one guaranteed they will finish no worse than 8-8 in league play.
For Pittman, it was the first time in weeks he was able establish himself as a force in the post. His 16 points was the most for him since he had 21 in a win over Arkansas back on Jan. 5.
The Cowboys had little to stop him. On one early basket, an ill-timed defensive switch left 5-foot-9 Cowboys guard Keiton Page matched up against the 6-10, 290-pound Pittman under the basket. The big man
Defensively, Mason and Avery Bradleyy applied the pressure on Anderson, who had scored at least 30 points five times this season but got little to fall when given little room to work against the Longhorns. Anderson shot 5 for 13.
Oklahoma State made eight 3-pointers after making 14 in a win over Baylor in the previous game, with just two after halftime.
James carried Texas early, scoring 15 points to lead the Longhorns to a 37-35 halftime lead. A 3-pointer by Muonelo had tied it before the Cowboys' Jarred Shaw fouled Pittman, then was whistled for a technical foul for jawing with him. Texas made two of the four free throws.
Pittman controlled the first 10 minutes of the second half, scoring nine of Texas' first 12 points and diverting shots on the other end
Kansas forward Marcus Morris tangles with Texas center Dexter Pittman during the second half, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin.
