The Longhorns are no strangers to tough losses this season.  

Last Saturday’s game was one of those instances; Texas lost to Oklahoma by a 29-point margin.

Lackluster defense and an inability to remain focused plagued the Longhorns (17-9, 6-6 Big 12) who suffered their worst loss ever to the Sooners.

“I was more disappointed than I’ve ever been with our effort and focus,” Texas coach Gail Goestenkors said. “Our defense was horrendous. The worst defensive effort I’ve seen in a long time.”

A consistent problem for the Longhorns this season, turnovers played a large role in the loss. Texas racked up 25 to Oklahoma’s 12. The Longhorns usually average 16.8 per game.

Even when All-American guard Danielle Robinson found herself in foul trouble, the Sooners remained poised and filled with momentum.

The last time Texas lost by such a large deficit was against Baylor in early February when the Longhorns were defeated by a margin of 28.

“We expect more from ourselves,” junior guard Yvonne Anderson said. “You’d think after the Baylor game, we would learn something about how embarrassing it is to lose by this much.”

But the bad taste Texas had in its mouth after Saturday’s loss could be forgotten as its schedule gives it a little more than a day until it faces its next opponent.

Immediately after the Oklahoma game, the Longhorns were air bound to their next destination: Iowa State.

With hardly any time to prepare for their nationally televised game against the 20th ranked Cyclones (18-8, 6-6 Big 12), the Longhorns cannot dwell on past losses.

The Cyclones, winners of two of their last three games, are led by one of the nation’s top shooters, Kelsey Bolte. The senior guard is averaging 17.9 points per game, a mere .1 ahead of Texas freshman Chassidy Fussell, who averages 17.8. In nine of the team’s 12 conference games this season, Bolte has scored 20 points or more. Against Texas in her career, the senior has averaged 15.5 points per game.

In its most recent win over Colorado, Iowa State tied a national record of 510 consecutive games with a made three-point shot.
Tonight’s game will feature two notable freshman players. Both squads feature freshman players that have been named Big 12 freshman of the week sometime during this season: Fussell and Hallie Christofferson.

But rebounding after its loss to Oklahoma could prove difficult for Texas as Iowa State has at times been a challenge for the Longhorns. Last season, in their most recent matchup, the Cyclones outlasted the Longhorns in overtime as Bolte hit a three-pointer with just more than a minute left in regulation overtime. The Longhorns couldn’t answer in a game that went 73-71 in the Cylcones’ favor.

The Longhorns are 2-5 when playing on Iowa State’s home court, with their last victory coming two years ago.

“We have a quick turnaround,” Goestenkors said. “We need to fix things quick.”