Texas defeats Mizzou in NCAA second round, will face UCLA in Sweet Sixteen

By Blanche Schaefer

AUSTIN, Texas — Sophomore guard Ariel Atkins went from sitting on the sideline while rehabbing an injury to leading the Texas women's basketball team to victory in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Texas, seeded in the Sioux Falls bracket, defeated No. 10 seed Mizzou, 73-55, Monday night in Austin behind Atkins’ 22 points and seven rebounds.

Atkins’ improvement this season has been a personal victory for her, but the team’s final goal of winning a championship is the driving force. The Longhorns now are one step closer to that goal.

“I always wanted to come back and contribute for my team,” Atkins said. “That was one of my main focal points. It’s hard mentally coming back from an injury, but my teammates talked me through it.”

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