Women’s basketball grinds out win over Arkansas to remain undefeated

By Blanche Schaefer

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Longhorns’ 10th win of the season didn’t come easily.

The No. 5 Texas women’s basketball team battled with Arkansas in the Big 12-SEC Challenge to pull away with a 61-50 win. The victory improved the Longhorns’ record to 10-0; UT now leads the all-time series with the Razorbacks, 22-3.

UT junior guard Brianna Taylor scored 15 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds with three steals. Arkansas junior forward Jessica Jackson led all scorers with 22 points and brought down six rebounds. Four Texas players scored at least eight points.

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Texas jumped to a 20-3 lead in the first quarter, thanks in large part to a commanding 17-0 run. The Texas defense held Arkansas to a mere 6 percent field-goal efficiency in the first quarter compared to the Longhorns’ 47 percent. Of UT’s 10 total blocks, six came in the first quarter, three by senior center Imani Boyette. Boyette totaled six blocks on the afternoon, bringing her career total to 223 — fourth on Texas’ all-time career blocks list.

“We got out of the gates quickly and played really, really well (in the first quarter),” Texas head coach Karen Aston said. “We changed defenses, and we got a little shot-happy in the second quarter. We got impatient and it really allowed them to get back in the game.”

But the Longhorns fell apart in the second quarter. Arkansas scored the first eight points of the quarter and outscored Texas 16-5 throughout the period. A three-pointer by sophomore Ariel Atkins gave the Longhorns their first points of the quarter with less than four minutes remaining. Junior forward Sara Hattis scored UT’s only other second-quarter points with a layup in the last 30 seconds. The Texas lead dwindled to 25-19 by halftime.

“Lots of credit to Arkansas for the way they responded to our first quarter,” Aston said. “We changed defenses, and we got a little shot-happy in the second quarter. We got impatient, and it really allowed them to get back in the game.”

Arkansas settled down in the second half, shooting 44 percent from the field compared to its 16 percent in the first half. The Longhorns shot 41 percent in the second half and narrowly outscored the Razorbacks 36-31. Arkansas closed in at the end of the third quarter to trim the Texas lead to 37-34. Consecutive lay-ups from Boyette, Celina Rodrigo and Lashann Higgs helped Texas pull ahead to 43-36 before the fourth quarter.

In addition to Taylor’s 15 points, guards Rodrigo and Brooke McCarty scored nine points apiece, while Higgs added eight. Boyette had six points to go along with her seven rebounds and six blocks, while guard Empress Davenport and Atkins — who played for the first time this season after offseason ankle surgery — each scored five points.

Arkansas knocked on UT’s door with less than two minutes remaining with a 6-0 run that put the Razorbacks within three points, at 53-50. But Taylor scored on a lay-up and the Longhorns hit six of seven free throws down the stretch, bringing the final score to 61-50.

“(Arkansas) punched back, and we didn’t take it very well,” Aston said. “From that point, it was a battle and I’m pleased we won.”

The Longhorns return to action at 2 p.m. Dec. 27 against Sam Houston State in Austin. Big 12 play begins at 6 p.m., Dec. 30 at West Virginia.

“We look fresh, so it’ll be good for (the players) to take some time off, see some family and have some downtime,” Aston said.

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