AUSTIN, Texas - Check the calendar. It says December but it was March in the Erwin Center Thursday night.

It is officially billed as the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series but No. 12 UCLA's trip here to face No. 8 Texas resembled an NCAA Tournament game ... say, an Elite Eight, with a Final Four trip on the line.

The Bruins have played in the last three Final Fours. There are few other teams as tough-minded or that plays the kind of body-banging defense that makes every possession like a trip to the dentist. UCLA-Texas was not your typical non-conference game three weeks before Christmas.

The Longhorns proved they're tournament tough. Texas let a 10-point lead slip away, went through a two-for-14 shooting drought but still persevered for a 68-64 victory.

On a night when sixth-ranked Oklahoma fought off USC's upset bid in another Hardwood Series contest, the Longhorns had to battle to keep the Big 12 flag flying. Texas might be missing D.J. Augustine, but the Longhorns are finding that they can be at least as good as last year's team that won 31 games and reached the Elite Eight.

Just ask UCLA coach Ben Howland.

"They're further ahead than we are," he said. "I'm pleased we showed a lot of grit to not succumb and to battle back to take the lead. It was a tough loss to a very good team. Texas has a chance to be in Detroit because of their depth, experience along with the fact they're very talented."

Two of the more talented Longhorns are senior guard A.J. Abrams and junior forward Damion James. Abrams, who was battling cramps in his right hamstring during the final minutes, had a game-high 31 including the last six for UT. James had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Two of those were rise-above-the-crowd manly boards.

"Players make plays," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "Our guys made some plays at the end."

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, who was courtside for the telecast, said that the game can be a teaching tool.

"They learned a ton about high-level competition and game situations," he said. "Texas had UCLA in foul trouble at the end but they were taking jump shots instead of taking it to the rim. For both teams, a game like this will provide muscle memory."

Barnes agreed that what his team learned is something that will be stored away as refrence material.

"We're gonna have games like this the rest of the month," said Barnes, alluding to his team's upcoming games with Villanova, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Arkansas. "We'll learn, get accustomed to games like this. We didn't come out in the second half the way we needed to and we let UCLA back in the game."

Abrams was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 52.4 seconds remaining in the first half. He made all three to give Texas a 38-29 halftime lead.

When Abrams banked home a pull-up 3-pointer after making a steal, Texas had a 46-36 lead three minutes into the second half. But that somewhat fortunate shot signalled the start of a cold spell that allowed the Bruins to get back into the game.

With the Longhorns misfiring, the Bruins started banging the boards. They finished with a 39-38 edge with 20 coming on the offensive end. Alfred Aboya's follow shot with 7:34 gave the Bruins a 58-55 lead.

James, who still struggles with shot selection, made a 3-pointer from the left corner to tie it with seven minutes remaining. His driving jumper in the lane forged another tie (62-all) with 3:46 remaining.

And when UCLA's Darren Collison (team-high 22 points) left Abrams open in the left corner, Mason found. Abrams' 3-pointer gave Texas a 65-62 lead with 2:51 remaining. The Bruins missed six of their last seven shots.

"His man came off him just a tad bit," Mason said. "He doesn't need much room to get his shot off."

If UCLA's football team played with the same bruising mentality as Howland's team, the Bruins would beat USC by 40 Saturday. UCLA, though, sometimes gets a little chippy.

Josh Shipp decked James in the first half with an elbow during a rebound scrum. And after a second-half dunk, he glared at Mason for several seconds.

"I wasn't trying to elbow him in the face," Shipp said. "I was just trying to clear space."

Texas continues to be a work in progress as Barnes tinkers with his combinations. Without D.J. Augustin, the Longhorns' point guard play will be a topic of conversation all season. But junior Justin Mason continues to be a steadying influence. He finished with five points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. His numbers are of the stealth quality.

"He adds a different dimension, he's a better defender than Augustin," Howland said. "They can pressure, switch assignments, they're very athletic and really get into people."

"Really get into people" is coaching speak for climbing inside the uniform of the guy you're guarding. As Nathan Dale said in Hoosiers, it's guarding a guy so you know what flavor gum he's chewing.

Whatever gum Texas' opponents are chomping, the Longhorns figure to get a taste.