AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas started a five-game holiday homestand with a clear message from coach Rick Barnes: get better on defense before the start of Big 12 play.
The 15th-ranked Longhorns turned in a dominant defensive effort in a 97-52 win over Centenary on Wednesday night, using relentless pressure to force turnovers and create easy baskets in a game that quickly escalated into a rout.
Texas (8-2) pressed the overmatched Gents (2-7) from end-to-end from the opening tipoff, tying a school record by allowing just 12 points in the first half. Texas records date to the 1949-50 season.
It was a solid first step for a team disappointed in its defensive effort in last weekend's tough 89-88 loss at No. 5 Wake Forest.
"I think we improved on our defensive intensity," said Kenny Taylor, who led Texas with 23 points. "We wanted to shut them down as much as possible."
The Longhorns scored virtually at will against a Gents lineup that didn't start a player taller than 6-foot-6. Taylor was 10-of-13 from the field and had a team-high four steals. Texas shot 63 percent overall and turned 25 turnovers into 35 points.
"We talk about getting lost in the defensive end of the game and Kenny really gave it to us tonight," Barnes said. "Tonight they came out and for the most part and were able to sustain what I thought was a pretty good effort."
Texas' 6-10 center LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 19 points and started a 17-3 run that blew the game open when he blocked a shot, then raced down court to finish the breakaway with an alley-oop dunk on a pass from fellow freshman Daniel Gibson. Aldridge had four of his five blocks in the first half.
"I really don't look at it as a breakout game," Aldridge said. "It's about rebounding, blocking shots and playing hard. The main thing I have to do is run to the paint and post up. I think I did that tonight."
Soon, the Longhorns started hitting from outside as well. Gibson and Sydmill Harris hit 3-pointers and Taylor hit two in the half, including a 25-footer that swished through at the buzzer giving Texas a 42-12 lead.
Meanwhile, the Gents hit just one basket over the final 10 minutes of the first half, going 5-of-24 from the field.
"Coming into this game the score to me was not a major concern," Centenary coach Kevin Johnson said. "We had to get some value out of this. I know where our program is and it's not where the No. 15 program in the nation is."
Kevin Taylor scored 14 points for the Gents, hitting four 3-pointers in the second half.
Texas kept up the pressure after the break. After three minutes of the second half, the Gents had more fouls (15) than points (14).
Freshman forward Mike Williams added 13 points and 10 rebounds in 20 minutes, his first significant playing time this season, becoming the fourth Longhorn to record a double-double this season.
"He told me before the game he was going to get a double-double," Barnes said. "I told him to make the most of his minutes."
