Texas women’s basketball’s hot start against South Carolina in the Final Four might have fizzled out by the end of the first quarter, but freshman guard Jordan Lee provided a spark for the Longhorns, even if the rest of Texas could not fan that flame.
The Longhorns fell to the Gamecocks 57–74 in Tampa, Florida Friday night in their furthest appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 22 years. This was Texas’ fourth meeting with South Carolina this season and the third loss the team endured.
Lee came into Texas as the No. 9 recruit in the country and started to play more minutes as the season progressed. The guard from California had a knack for threes early on and kept bolstering her resume with jump shots and strong defense.
But the most important thing Lee brought to the table this season was a rousing energy that continuously ignited the team.
Whether it’s on the bench, leaping from her seat and dancing when a teammate scores, or on the court, sinking a three, Lee is a momentum shifter. And despite the painful loss to end the season, the future looks promising for Texas.
“Jordan’s done that for us all season. She just makes big shots,” senior guard Shay Holle said after the Final Four loss. “And I think it’s really just a product of the work she puts in … She deserves a moment like this. She always performs no matter how big the stage. She has a really bright future ahead of her.”
With Southeastern Conference Player of the Year sophomore forward Madison Booker leading the charge and fellow freshman guard Bryanna Preston by her side, Lee will have ample room to grow into an even bigger asset for the Longhorns.
Head coach Vic Schaefer might not have liked the outcome in Tampa, but he acknowledged the positives that lie ahead, as well as the unknowns.
Senior guard Rori Harmon has one more year of eligibility remaining in her college career, and it still is not clear what she plans to do.
“They put in so much time and invested so much time in their game, that you can’t help but respect them,” Schaefer said. “It’s been a cool group. We’ll reload, we’ll get better, and we’ll learn from it, and hopefully these kids will come back with a little taste in their mouth.”
The Longhorns ended this historic season 35–4, going 15–1 in their first year of the SEC and making their first Final Four appearance since 2003 — when a majority of the team was not even born.
As the team watches UConn compete with South Carolina for a national championship that they so desperately wanted to be a part of, the bitter defeat will no doubt add fuel to the fire that has burned bright all year long.
