No. 15 Texas women’s basketball’s final Big 12 season begins on Dec. 30, facing off against Baylor at Moody Center. Here are five games to look forward to in the 18-game journey to the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Missouri.
Baylor, Dec. 30 and Feb. 1
The two teams enter Texas’ final season with history dating back to 1975, with Texas winning 59 of 108 total matchups.
The Bears will return to Austin with a loaded roster that includes two-time national player of the week Sarah Andrews and 2023 Freshman of the Year Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, who scored 30 points against Tennessee State while holding the Tigers to just 27 points total.
No. 14 Oklahoma, Jan. 24 and Feb. 28
The long-time rivals are the only Big 12 teams currently ranked by the NCAA. Texas and OU shared the same conference record in the past season, but the Longhorns were victorious in both matchups. Like Texas, Oklahoma made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament, losing to UCLA by nine points after momentarily holding the lead in Los Angeles.
The Sooners lost one of their most dominant players, senior Madi Williams, but strengthened their team with the addition of senior guard Lexy Keys, who averaged 10.1 points per game for Oklahoma State in 2022, and freshman forward Sahara Williams, a five-star recruit.
@ West Virginia, Jan. 6
In the last 10 matchups, the Longhorns have beaten the Mountaineers six times and will head to Morgantown in hopes of extending their current four-game win streak. Since 2013, every fourth-place team in the Big 12 has made it to March Madness, and last season, West Virginia was no different. The Mountaineers reached the NCAA tournament for the 14th time in school history and the first time since 2021, but they fell to Arizona in the first round.
Roster highlights include All-Big 12 First Team and defensive team junior guard JJ Quinerly and junior guard Tirzah Moore, a transfer from Oral Roberts.
@ Oklahoma State, Jan. 20
Since their first encounter in 1977, Texas has won over half of its matchups against the Cowgirls, including the recent Big 12 Championship semifinal in March. Despite the semifinal loss, Oklahoma State made it to the first round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to Miami by one point.
The last time the Longhorns headed to Stillwater, which was in January, the hosts took the win, ending Texas’ three-game win streak against them.
Redshirt fifth-year guard Naomie Alnatas has scored in the double digits against Texas in the last three games, including a 20-pointer for her team in January.
vs. Iowa State, Feb. 17
Iowa State and Texas last met in the 2023 Big 12 Tournament Final where the Cyclones beat the Longhorns by 10 points. The Cyclones then proceeded to fall to Toledo in the first round of the NCAA Tournament while Texas beat East Carolina to advance to the second. Texas leads Iowa State 26–23 in all-time victories but is currently on a two-game losing streak.
Iowa State will be dealing with the loss of key player and Big 12 Most Outstanding player Ashley Joens, who is now playing professionally, but hopes to thrive with the addition of Joens’ younger sister Kelsey Joens, a three-time Iowa Girls Coaches Association member.
