AUSTIN (KXAN) — When the Texas Longhorns needed a bucket, senior Shay Holle delivered.
Her 3-pointer with 1:13 left broke a tie and helped lift the No. 5 Longhorns to a 71-64 win over Kansas State on Monday in the Big 12 Conference women’s basketball tournament semifinals in Kansas City, Missouri.
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Holle, an Austin native and Westlake graduate, added a layup with 0:35 left to seal it. She finished the game with 11 points on 4 of 7 shooting. Her clutch long-distance shot was her only 3-point attempt of the game.
The Longhorns (29-4, 14-4 Big 12) will face Iowa State for the tournament championship at 8 p.m. CT Tuesday on ESPN2. The winner will receive the Big 12’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
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Texas forward Madison Booker (35) drives under pressure from Kansas State guard Serena Sundell (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March 11, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) -
Kansas State guard Serena Sundell (4) is chased by Texas guard Shay Holle (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March 11, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) -
Kansas State center Ayoka Lee (50) gets past Texas forward DeYona Gaston (5) to put up a shot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March 11, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) -
Kansas State center Ayoka Lee (50) shoots over Texas forward DeYona Gaston, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March 11, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) -
Kansas State guard Zyanna Walker (1) shoots under pressure from Texas forward DeYona Gaston, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March 11, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Texas withstood a monster game from Kansas State center Ayoka Lee, who scored 25 points on 11 of 17 shooting with 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-6 Lee was injured when the two teams last played Feb. 4 in Austin, a game that Texas won 61-54.
Five Texas players scored in double figures, led by Madison Booker’s 17 points on 7 of 14 shooting. Aaliyah Moore scored 14 points with eight rebounds while Shaylee Gonzales and DeYona Gaston both had 10. Gaston also grabbed eight rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth quarter,
The Longhorns built a 24-14 lead after the first quarter and led 38-30 at the half, but the Wildcats didn’t quit and took the lead 57-55 on a Brylee Glenn 3-pointer with 4:00 left. After Texas briefly regained the lead, Glenn tied the game with a layup before Holle nailed the big bucket. The Longhorns made five foul shots in the final 0:28 to put the game away.
Texas outrebounded the Wildcats 29-28 including 10 offensive rebounds to score 12 second-chance points and the Longhorns made two more fields than the Wildcats.