#4/6 Texas Women Run Over #24/24 Vanderbilt

The #4/6 University of Texas Longhorn women’s basketball team defeated the #24/24 Vanderbilt University Commodores, 87-66, in a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate.  The win was Texas’s sixth game against a ranked opponent this season. 

The Longhorns were led by Madison Booker with 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal.  Booker became the 49th person in program history to reach the 1,000-career points plateau.  The game was just the sophomore’s 61st game at Texas.  

“They (Texas) did a great job defensively,” said Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph.  “Felt like we stopped moving, the way they were playing defensively, aggressive getting out into the passing lanes.  Their pressure gave us some problems.” 

Vanderbilt came in averaging 85.3 points per game and the Longhorns held them 19 points below their scoring average. 

The game was most remarkable for Texas’ performance beyond the arc, going 9-for-13. 

“We had some really good looks and found our shooters at the right time.  Got to make shots, when they leave you open, you got to make them pay,” said Texas head coach Vic Schaefer. 

Vanderbilt took responsibility for Texas’ performance from distance. 

“Look, I’m not even trying to be funny, but if they (the Vanderbilt defense) left me that wide open, I could probably hit a three,” said Ralph on Texas’s three-point shooting.   “We just gave them too much space.”

Texas played an imperfect game and won by a wide margin.  That concerns Schaefer as the team looks to take on #2 South Carolina on Sunday in a much tighter contest. 

“We have an opportunity to learn lesson through victory,” said Schaefer. “It is a really, really tough thing to come in here and lose a game by one possession, and you can’t do the most basic thing like block out on a free throw.  That really bothers me, because I know that can happen.  We’re gonna be in some really close games for the rest of the season.  And I would hate for that to happen to them.” 

Specifically, Schaefer said, “I’m disappointed in our rebounding. It’s two games in a row.  We got out-rebounded today, but we gave up 18 offensive rebounds.” 

Texas also committed 14 turnover, resulting in 14 Vanderbilt points. 

Ralph paid Schaefer’s team a compliment, saying, “They played ready for battle. They came ready to rip our hearts right out of our chest.” 

Schaefer refuted that Texas intended to “rip” Vanderbilt’s heart out, but would acknowledge that his team played tough. 

Rori Harmon dished-out five assists for the 22nd game this season and snuck-away with five steals in the game. Harmon moved into 10th on the Longhorns all-time career steal list. Shay Holle recorded a season-high 16 points. Holle connected on 4-of-5 from 3-point range. 

The Longhorns shot 52.8 percent from the field to mark their 15th game this season shooting 50 percent or better. Texas converted 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) from the free-throw line.