Dexter Pittman’s 18 points lead No. 2 Texas to tough 76-70 win

Pittman’s 18 points lead No. 2 Texas 76-70

AUSTIN, Texas — Dexter Pittman scored 18 points and No. 2 Texas stayed undefeated with a tougher-than-expected 76-70 win over scrappy Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday.

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.