AUSTIN, Texas (AP) A.J. Abrams' shooting touch and some rock-solid team defense keep getting it done for Texas.
Abrams matched his career high with 31 points, including the last six of the game for the Longhorns, sending No. 8 Texas to a rugged 68-64 victory over No. 12 UCLA on Thursday night.
Abrams broke a 62-62 tie with a 3-pointer with 2:53 to play, then made two free throws a minute later to push Texas' lead back to three. The Longhorns (6-1) held UCLA (4-2) scoreless after Alfred Aboya's basket with 2:28 left pulled the Bruins within 65-64.
Darren Collison scored 22 points and Shipp added 15 to lead the Bruins.
The matchup produced a rare early season sellout at Texas and the game got testy at times as both teams played physical defense and challenged each other around the basket on nearly every shot.
"We made a lot of mistakes tonight," UCLA coach Ben Howland said. "It was good that we were able to fight back from a 10-point deficit in the second half to take the lead. Their two best players stepped up for them tonight."
