Texas bounces back from road loss, beating West Virginia 74–48
February 19, 2023
No. 17 Texas moves back into the win column with a dominant 74–48 win over West Virginia, avenging its road loss to Iowa State last Monday. Texas has now won 12 straight games at the Moody Center.
Texas controlled the game with rebounds, out-rebounding the Mountaineers 53 to 27. Junior forward Khadija Faye led the Longhorns with 12 points and 11 rebounds, her fifth double-double of the season.
“We missed a bunch of shots and (Faye) was there to clean them up and put them back in,” head coach Vic Schaefer said. “She cleaned up a lot of our mess early.”
Texas got off to a hot start in the first quarter, opening the game with a 15–2 run led by six points from Faye. West Virginia was able to respond, bringing the score to 25–14 after the first. However, the Mountaineers had no answer for Faye who scored 10 points in the first.
“Our first and third quarters were probably as good as we can play offensively,” Schaefer said. “We got away from what we wanted to do in the second quarter.”
The fast first quarter momentum was erased with a slow and sloppy second quarter. Both teams scored nine points each. Texas only made two field goals, shooting just over 14%. West Virginia made three field goals, including two 3-pointers.
This was the 18th time Texas’ defense held a team to single digits in a quarter this season. Defensively, Texas forced 16 turnovers and blocked seven shots. In 12 minutes, junior Taylor Jones blocked three shots and scored seven points.
Graduate student Shaylee Gonzales led the Longhorns with 18 points, bouncing back from her three point performance against Iowa State.
“I knew that I didn’t show up for the team game and I needed to contribute a little bit more,” Gonzales said. “My confidence and mentality coming into this game has really changed.”
Sophomore Rori Harmon scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists. This was Harmon’s fourth game in a row scoring double figures. Harmon, who has struggled all season with free-throws, made 10 of 12 attempted shots from the line.
“I was making my free throws,” Harmon said. “I thought if I can keep attacking and get to the line like he’s been asking me for this whole season, and to actually make them this time. That was one of my goals too.”
The team will head into its first bye week of conference play before taking on Oklahoma in Norman this Saturday.
“It’s a great win for us,” Schaefer said. “Now it’s officially Texas vs OU week and we’ll be ready.”
With the win, Texas moves to 21–7 on the season and 12–3 in Big 12 play.
