Texas women’s basketball gets back on track with win over UTRGV

By Riley Zayas

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas women’s basketball team got back on track Wednesday with an 85-69 victory over UT Rio Grande Valley at the Frank Erwin Center.

Playing in front of more than 7,000 passionate fans, including about 5,500 local students who were on hand for the annual Forty Acres Field Trip game, the [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]atmosphere was incredible and boosted the Horns, helping them get that competitive advantage that the squad had lacked in theirprevious game, a blowout loss to Arizona, and get prepared for Big 12 play.

“I think the atmosphere is really good for our players,” UT head coach Karen Aston said after the game. “The connection that has to happen between the players on the court is vital. This provides them that environment to say ‘this is what 5,000 screaming people sound like.’ This is why players come to big-time colleges, to play in front of people.”

Of all the things that went right for Texas, one of the biggest was winning the battle in the paint. The Longhorns outrebounded the Vaqueros, 54-29, and scored 30 points in the paint compared to UTRGV’s 20, thanks in part to 19 from senior Joyner Holmes, a player UTRGV head coach Lane Lord thinks will be a hands-down first round pick when she goes into the WNBA draft.

“One of my favorite players watching women’s basketball is Holmes,” Lord said following the game. “I think she’s a big-time WNBA player and a first-rounder.”

Holmes and Charli Collier provided that one-two punch Karen Aston has been looking for all season, combining for 30 points and 21 rebounds. Once that duo began clicking, there was nothing the Vaqueros could do to stop them.

“That one-two punch is really tough to beat,” Lord said.

However, one of the game’s best players overall was guard LaShann Higgs, who not only scored 11 points, but also brought down 12 rebounds, five of them on offense.

The Horns endured a bit of a rough start, as the Vaqueros shot extremely well from behind the arc and kept themselves in the ballgame, trailing by just four, 19-15, at the end of one quarter. One of the main reasons for UT’s early-game challenges was what Aston characterized as “going too fast,” which led to several first-half turnovers by the Longhorns.

“I still continue to be a little frustrated with our team with carelessness sometimes with the basketball and not making the simple play,” Aston said.

While they trailed at times during the second quarter, the Longhorns were in control at halftime, 39-25, and continued their strong play in the second half. While the Vaqueros attempted to mount several comebacks, relying in part on three-pointers, the Texas defense held them at bay, thanks in part to Joanne Allen-Taylor, who had three steals. Once the final buzzer sounded throughout the Erwin Center, Aston breathed a sigh of relief. Her team had accomplished that day’s goal, improved significantly from Sunday’s loss, and began showing signs it could contend for the Big 12 title despite a sluggish start to the season.

“It was nice to see my teammates being able to find open shots and reversing the ball and running the floor like we talked about,” said Texas guard Celeste Taylor, who had 11 points. “Being able to be open, it was really nice to be able to see the ball go through the hoop.”

 “I thought there were some good moments and flashes of execution, and there were some moments where you shake your head and say ‘What are we doing?’” Aston said. “But I think the best thing I can take away from today is that we made some perimeter shots, which will give our players some confidence.”

Confidence will be key for the Longhorns this season. Next, the team takes on Southern in a 1 p.m. matchup Sunday afternoon at the Erwin Center.
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