AUSTIN (KXAN) — Top-seeded Texas made its first six shots and dominated the paint to run away with an 82-42 win over No. 16 Drexel in the opening round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament Friday at Moody Center.
The Longhorns (31-4) will take on the winner of No. 8 Alabama and No. 9 Florida State in the second round Sunday. The Crimson Tide and Seminoles face off at 5:30 p.m. CT at Moody Center.
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Texas’ inside game overwhelmed the smaller Dragons’ interior with Taylor Jones, Aaliyah Moore and DeYona Gaston dominating on the low block. The trio combined for 39 points as the Longhorns racked up 44 points in the paint. Gaston notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass, and Madison Booker dished out 14 assists — the most by any Texas player in an NCAA tournament game. Texas outrebounded the Dragons 51-23 and scored 22 second-chance points off 26 offensive rebounds.
Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said Gaston got sick last night and initially wasn’t going to play against the Dragons, but she shook it off and gave her team quality minutes. Gaston said she didn’t sleep much but wanted to “gut it out.”
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Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) shoots over Drexel forward Chloe Hodges (5) during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Shay Holle (10) grabs a rebound over Drexel forward Chloe Hodges (5) during the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Shay Holle (10) grabs a rebound over Drexel forward Chloe Hodges (5) during the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) celebrates a score with teammate Madison Booker (35) during the second half of a first-round college basketball game against Drexel in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Shaylee Gonzales, right, celebrates a score against Drexel during the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer talks to his players during the first half of a first-round college basketball game against Drexel in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas guard Shaylee Gonzales (2) moves the ball up court against Drexel during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Aaliyah Moore (23) and Drexel guard Amaris Baker, right, scramble for a loose ball during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Drexel guard Laine McGurk (41) looks to score past Texas guard Gisella Maul (21) during the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Drexel forward Chloe Hodges (5) is blocked by Texas guard Shaylee Gonzales (2) as she tries to score during the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) grabs a rebound between Drexel forward Jasmine Valentine, front, and guard Laine McGurk, left, during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) shoots over Drexel forward Hetta Saatman (2) during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward DeYona Gaston, center, reaches over Drexel guard Grace O’Neill, front, for a rebound during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) grabs a rebound between Drexel forward Jasmine Valentine, left, and guard Grace O’Neill, right, during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Aaliyah Moore (23) reaches for a rebound ahead of Drexel guard Amaris Baker (3) during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Madison Booker, left, and Drexel guard Grace O’Neill, right, chase a loose ball during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Drexel guard Erin Sweeney (13) and Texas guard Shay Holle (10) battle for control of the ball during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
Texas forward Madison Booker, right, looks to pass around Drexel guard Grace O’Neill (12) during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) -
A basketball fall through the hoop during warmups for a first-round college basketball game between Texas and Drexel in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Texas guard Shaylee Gonzales was on fire from the perimeter. She buried 5 of 6 3-point attempts and finished with a game-high 21 points on 8 of 11 shooting overall.
Gonzales said she wasn’t pleased with her first-quarter performance, but the third quarter was a different story. She was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field in the third quarter and scored 15 points in the frame. Texas outscored Drexel 34-12 in the third quarter.
“I just kept telling myself to keep shooting and let it fly,” she said. “They weren’t guarding the wing very well and I was getting wide open.”
The Longhorns utilized a full-court press in the first half to help force 21 Drexel turnovers and turn them into 28 points.
“We had a lot of rust tonight to start, but our third quarter was really good,” Schaefer said. “I thought the Drexel’s kids played really tough for three quarters.”
Jones finished with 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting while Moore chipped in 10 points. Texas’ bench outscored Drexel’s reserves 25-11 with Khadija Faye notching 10 points and seven rebounds.
Drexel ends its season as the Colonial Athletic Association tournament champions with a 19-15 overall record. Amaris Baker scored 10 points for the Dragons and Brooke Mullin made a pair of deep 3-pointers. She’s the niece of former NBA star Chris Mullin.