AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns suffered their worst home loss of the season Monday, falling 73-51 to Louisville in the second round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament at Moody Center.
The loss eliminates the Longhorns from the tournament and they finish the season with a 26-10 record. Louisville, the No. 5 seed in the region, now goes to Seattle to take on No. 8 Ole Miss in the Sweet 16 on Friday. The Rebels pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament so far, knocking off top-seeded Stanford 54-49.
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer, right, argues a call during the first half of a second-round college basketball game against Louisville in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith (10) drives around Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas guard Shaylee Gonzales (2) drives around Louisville guard Chrislyn Carr (3) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville forward Olivia Cochran (44) grabs a rebound over Texas forward DeYona Gaston, right, during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville forward Nyla Harris (2) grabs a rebound in front of Texas forward Khadija Faye, left, during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville forward Liz Dixon (22) and Texas forward Khadija Faye, right, scramble for a rebound during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville center Josie Williams (40) shoots past Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas guard Shay Holle, left, drives around Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith, right, during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas forward Khadija Faye (20) and Louisville forward Liz Dixon (22) reach for a rebound during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville forward Liz Dixon (22) is blocked by Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) as she tries to score during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville center Josie Williams (40) drives to the basket past Texas forward Taylor Jones, right, during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville head coach Jeff Walz reacts to a play during the first half of a second-round college basketball game against Texas in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville forward Olivia Cochran, left, and Texas guard Rori Harmon, right, chase a loose ball during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)The Louisville bench celebrates a score against Texas during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville center Josie Williams (40) and Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) chase a rebound during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Louisville forward Olivia Cochran (44) shoots over Texas forward Amina Muhammad (14) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) reaches over Louisville forward Olivia Cochran (44) and guard Chrislyn Carr (3) for a rebound during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas guard Rori Harmon, right, is pressured by Louisville guard Chrislyn Carr, left, during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Louisville coach Jeff Walz said his team, “played exceptionally well.”
“We did a great job defensively of making sure we knew the matchups, we knew who we were guarding even through switches and we knew what that person does,” Walz said. “We played about as dialed defensively as we have this entire season.”
Louisville created separation with a 21-7 second quarter following the teams playing to a 16-16 tie after the first frame. Texas overcame seven turnovers in the first quarter to tie it, but Louisville’s defense seemed to always be in the right place at the right time, contesting every shot the Longhorns put up. It eventually caught up with the Longhorns, and Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith went to work. She led all scorers with 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
DeYona Gaston was the only Longhorn to score in the second frame, notching seven of her team-high 12 points. Texas cut the deficit to nine points after a pair of Taylor Jones foul shots with 5:29 left in the third quarter, but the Cardinals put the game away early with a 12-0 run immediately after.
“I need to apologize to the University of Texas for today and how the team played,” Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said. “This university deserves us to play better than that. This just isn’t the way you want to go out. It’s nobody’s fault but my own.”
Texas missed 15 layups on the night and whenever it looked like they’d get an easy bucket inside, it wasn’t so easy. Conversely, Louisville made 17 layups of their 30 field goals.
Schaefer said the past two workouts had been great for his team, but those good training sessions didn’t translate to Monday night.
“We didn’t play like the way I felt like we were ready to play,” Schaefer said. “You win with guard play, and his [Louisville coach Jeff Walz] were special tonight.”
Merissah Russell’s layup with 2:54 left in the frame capped the big run for the Cardinals and then they went on cruise control basically the entire fourth quarter,
Texas shot 1-for-10 from 3-point range and Louisville limited the Longhorns to 19 field goals. Texas shot 34.5% from the field while the Cardinals shot 47% for the game and made 30 of 64 shots. Texas came into the game averaging 18 turnovers forced per game, and they were only able to get 10 with eight coming in the second half.
Harmon left the court with a lower left leg injury in the fourth quarter, landing awkwardly on it after a play in the paint. She left the floor limping, but to chants of her name ringing throughout Moody Center.
For Texas, Harmon and Njakalenga Mwenentenda each chipped in 10 points. Harmon pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Longhorns in that category. In the end, Schaefer said he was proud of his team and that he bared the brunt of the disappointment.
“I have to do a better job at teaching the kids how to compete more consistently,” Schaefer said. “They’ve had a lot of growth, but certain things have to change. Toughness has kind of been an issue off and on all year, and I think it’s an Achilles heel that showed up today.”
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