AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Fredie Williams was told to be ready.
It had been so long since he played for Texas, it could have
been forgiven if he wasn't quite up to the task of guarding No. 15
Connecticut's speedy guards.
|  | | Texas forward Chris Owens swats the would-be dunk of UConn center Justin Brown. |
But extended time on the bench didn't hamper Williams, who came
up with two critical defensive plays in the final minute Monday
night to lift Texas (No. 24 ESPN/USA Today, unranked AP) to a 60-56 victory over the Huskies.
After Texas (13-3), which ended the game with a 10-2 run, had tied the game at 54, UConn guard Taliek
Brown took the ball up court looking to take back the lead.
Brown had badly beaten Williams off the dribble a few minutes
earlier and tried to do it again. This time, Williams picked him
off with his right hand and led a fast break down the floor that
James Thomas finished with a putback layup for a two-point Texas
lead with 40 seconds left.
"I sat on his left side because I knew he was going to cross
over from his right," Williams said. "I stuck my hand out and got
it."
On the next possession, Brown tried to take it down the lane
again only to have Williams poke it away to teammate Darren Kelly.
Kelly was fouled and made two free throws to make it 58-54.
"I had no doubt about going in. Coach puts in the guys who can
do the job," Williams said.
Williams started the first three games of the season but had
been relegated to minimal spot duty. He had played in only nine
games this season and hadn't scored since Dec. 9 in a road loss at
South Florida.
Texas coach Rick Barnes turned to Williams after UConn's fast
break victimized the Longhorns for several transition baskets.
"I told Fredie that he better be ready," Barnes said. "It's
hard to do what he's done, because he started for us at the
beginning of the year and he hasn't been playing. But he has never,
ever stopped working hard."
Williams even chipped in offensively, knocking down a jumper in
the lane with two minutes left that pulled Texas to 52-50.
UConn (13-4) had a chance to recover from Williams' heroics.
Williams fouled Tony Robertson, who hit two foul shots for the
Huskies before Texas' Maurice Evans hit a pair of free throws with
14.2 seconds left to maintain the four-point lead.
The Huskies tried to get in position for a 3-pointer in the
final seconds but got only one chance when they couldn't get a shot
off until eight seconds had expired. Robertson's 3-pointer missed
off the front of the rim and went straight to Evans, who cradled
the ball as time ran out.
"It wasn't one play. It was three or four plays down the
stretch," said UConn coach Jim Calhoun, whose team played its last
game outside of the Big East Conference.
"It was team breakdowns that cost us the game. I can promise
you, Taliek Brown wasn't the reason we lost the game," he said.
The victory extended Texas' home winning streak to 23. The
Longhorns, who fell out of the Top 25 after a loss Saturday at
Nebraska, have two home wins over ranked opponents this season. The
Longhorns beat No. 11 Illinois on Dec. 23.
The Longhorns have done it mostly with defense.
Texas held the Huskies to 35 percent shooting and have won 27 in
a row when they hold their opponent to under 40 percent.
Kelly led Texas with 16 points and four assists. Chris Owens
added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Evans had 11 points and James
Thomas had 10.
Thomas also had a critical steal with 1:18 to play when he
intercepted a pass and, as he was falling out of bounds, lobbed it
to Kelly, who tied it at 54-54 with a fast-break layup.
Edmund Saunders led UConn with 13 points.
UConn's Albert Mouring, who needed six points to pass 1,000 for
his career, reached the mark in the first half and finished with 10
points.
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Connecticut Clubhouse
Texas Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 After the steal, Fredie Williams leads the fast break and James Thomas finishes for the lead.
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
James Thomas steals the ball and dishes to Darren Kelly, who ties the game with 1:18 remaining.
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RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
UConn looked to have control of the game when Edmund Saunders scored on another fast break.
avi: 1270 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Texas' Chris Owens shows his presence in the first half, swatting shots like flies.
avi: 1350 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Caron Butler misses on his drive to the hoop, but stays with it and gets the basket.
avi: 1020 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Coach Rick Barnes was proud to see his team bounce back from a loss and topple UConn.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Texas' Fredie Williams and Darren Kelly comment on the Longhorns' victory over UConn.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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