AUSTIN (KXAN) — No. 4 Texas shot a season-best 69% from 3-point range to defeat No. 24 Vanderbilt 87-66 in Southeastern Conference women’s basketball action Thursday at Moody Center.
The Longhorns drilled 9 of 13 long distance attempts led by senior Shay Holle and freshman Jordan Lee. Holle buried four 3-pointers and Lee hit three as the Longhorns outpaced their season average of 3.3 made 3-pointers per game by nearly triple. Texas entered the game shooting 30% from beyond the arc.
-
Texas forward Madison Booker (35) scores past Vanderbilt forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) is fouled by Vanderbilt forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) as he drives to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer reacts aftera play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Vanderbilt in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph talks to her players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) pulls down a rebound in front of Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Bryanna Preston (1), guard Jordan Lee (7) and teammates celebrate a score against Vanderbilt during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) drives to the basket against Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott (13) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes, right, is fouled by Texas guard Bryanna Preston, left, as she drives to the basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) goes up to score against Texas during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes, right, is fouled by Texas guard Bryanna Preston, left, as she drives to the basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) grabs a rebound over Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott (13) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) scores against Texas during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Jordan Lee (7) and Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) scramble for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Madison Booker (35) drives to the basket past Vanderbilt forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Madison Booker (35) drives to the basket past Vanderbilt forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) reaches in on Vanderbilt guard Jordyn Oliver (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) and Vanderbilt forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) chase a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) and Vanderbilt forward Khamil Pierre (12) battle for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Vanderbilt forward Jane Nwaba (10) drives past Texas forward Madison Booker (35) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Vanderbilt guard Jordyn Oliver (11) and Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) reach for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Holle ended the game with 16 points on 6 of 8 shooting and Lee had 12 before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Madison Booker led the Longhorns with 20 points and six rebounds. Taylor Jones scored 13 points with six rebounds and Rori Harmon had eight points with five assists and five steals.
Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said his team had to play “really well” to beat Vanderbilt.
“We executed some good stuff,” he said. “All of you people that have been complaining about our 3-point shooting, there you go. We had some good looks and we may shots.”
Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes and Khamil Pierre had huge nights with a combined 48 points, 26 from Pierre and 22 by Blakes, but no other Commodore scored more than six.
“They are going to win a bunch more games in our league,” Schaefer said of Vanderbilt. “They are really prolific offensively.”
The game’s pace slowed to a crawl in the second half as officials whistled the teams for a combined 34 fouls and 44 free throw attempts. For the game, Texas made 22 of 26 foul shots and Vanderbilt made 20 of 26.
MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters
Texas led 38-25 at halftime but the Commodores cut the lead to five with 3:59 left in the third quarter after making two separate 6-0 runs in the frame. Blakes made a tough layup to bring the score to 49-44, but Lee canned her third 3-pointer of the game on the next possession to stretch it back out to 52-44.
Texas worked its lead back to 13 points by the end of the quarter on a Bryanna Preston layup at the buzzer. Preston drew an offensive foul for a turnover on the previous defensive possession and then attacked the bucket from the left side to hit a contested layup as the horn blew.
“Texas came ready to battle,” Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph said. “They came to rip our hearts out of our chests.”
Vanderbilt outrebounded the Longhorns 34-31 including 18-11 on the offensive end. Pierre scored 22 points in the second half on 8-for-17 shooting with four offensive rebounds.
The Longhorns forced 17 turnovers and scored 27 points off of them. Vanderbilt caused 14 turnovers but could turn them into just 14 points.
Booker’s night pushed her over 1,000 points in her career, needing 61 games to achieve the feat.
Texas (23-2, 9-1 SEC) hosts No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday. Vanderbilt (18-6, 5-5) hosts Mississippi State on Feb. 13.
