The Texas Longhorns faced their biggest test of the season so far against the UConn Huskies in front of over 10,763 spectators at the Moody Center on Sunday. The Longhorns defeated the Huskies, 80-68, in front of their largest crowd this season. An influx of scoring by Texas’ new guard combination and its ability to get extra shots made the difference.
The first-year duo of junior guard Rori Harmon and freshman forward Madison Booker had its best game of the season against the Huskies. They finished with 27 and 20 points, respectively. Both set a season high in scoring and accounted for over half of Texas’ total points.
This season, Texas head coach Vic Schaefer has constantly tabbed Harmon as the best point guard in the country. UConn head coach Geno Auriemma shared the same sentiment about the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year.
“I think she’s the best player we played against so far this year, by far at both ends,” Auriemma said.
Earlier in the season, Booker stated that she was still trying to find her role on the team. From that point on, the freshman has continued to gain more and more confidence as a player and a scorer. After her best game scoring-wise, Booker is no longer searching.
“I think I’ve pretty much found my role now and I’ve definitely found my confidence,” Booker said.
Although Harmon had a stellar offensive performance, she gives credit to her teammates who were battling on the court with her.
“I turn back and look to this game, yes, I did great on the stats (sheet), but my teammates made me feel like I was on top of the world,” Harmon said.
Throughout the game, Harmon, along with the rest of her teammates, made an extreme effort to create more shots for themselves. Whether they forced turnovers or pulled down offensive rebounds, the Longhorns found a way to get extra possessions.
The Longhorns forced 21 turnovers and reeled in 16 offensive rebounds. Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma pointed out this as the difference between both teams.
“You put those two things together, that’s 21 times we didn’t get a shot and that’s 21 times that they got a shot,” Auriemma said.
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer was proud of the way his squad played but gave extra praise to Amina Muhammad for her work on the offensive glass. Muhammad accounted for six offensive rebounds against the Huskies.
“We run some stuff for her, and she knows exactly her role and she is really good at it,” Schaefer said.
Muhammad knows that second chance opportunities can change a game and has put in a lot of work to better that part of her game.
“It’s something I really take pride in because it’s one of the things I’m really good at,” Muhammad said.
Texas women’s basketball returns to action on Wednesday against Long Beach State.
