Texas punches Sweet 16 ticket 65-48 over Illinois behind Mwenentanda’s career game

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team is headed to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in five seasons.

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda poured in a career-high 19 points off the bench and the top-seeded Longhorns ran away with a 65-48 over Illinois in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday at Moody Center.

Mwenentanda played 29 minutes, well above her season average of 16, shooting 7-for-10 from the field and 5-for-6 from the foul line with six rebounds. Madison Booker scored a game-high 20 points on 9 of 18 shooting with six boards.

Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said when he’s able to play Mwenentanda at forward, it opens things up for other players.

“If she stays within herself, she can do that,” Schaefer said. “She can get in trouble trying to do too much sometimes, and she’s grown. She’s confident now, and that’s never been her problem. I love that about her.”

Mwenentanda checked out of the game to a standing ovation in the fourth quarter, and she said with a huge smile that she was out there simply having fun.

“I’ve been prepared for this moment since Day 1,” she said. “It’s really just my teammates having the trust in me and me having trust in myself. You saw the most confident version of myself. I’m happy to make contributions, but every day is a different lineup and a different scout. I have to be ready for the next one.”

Texas held the Fighting Illini to 38% shooting and the Longhorns scored 23 points off of 20 turnovers. It was the typical Texas game of tough defense and dominating the paint as the Longhorns outscored Illinois 36-18 inside.

The Longhorns seized control in the second quarter, outscoring Illinois 18-6. The Fighting Illini shot 3-for-10 in the frame while Texas made seven field goals and hit four foul shots.

Senior point guard Rori Harmon drew the tough defensive assignment on the Fighting Illini’s dynamic guard Genesis Bryant. She entered with a 13-game streak scoring in double figures after netting 17 against Creighton in the opening round, and during the streak, she had a high of 28 against Rutgers in January. Harmon helped lock her down, holding her to eight points and forcing six turnovers.

“There’s no one like Rori,” Schaefer said. “You’re welcome to show me anybody else, but I don’t think there is that person. She creates so many issues for teams. She’s somebody we lean on for so much, and if she’s not the best defensive player, I don’t know who is.”

Harmon had four steals to go with four points and seven assists. She had a tough game shooting 1-for-7, but as long as she facilitates the offense and plays tenacious defense, that’s fine with her.

“I take pride in defense; that’s my thing. It has been like that forever,” she said. “I want to play so hard because I wasn’t playing in the tournament last year (due to a knee injury). It means a lot to be playing again.”

Taylor Jones chipped in 12 points with five rebounds and a blocked shot. Jones and Kyla Oldacre teamed up to hold Illinois forward Kendall Bostic to eight points on 4 of 13 shooting. She came into the game averaging 15.8 points per game.

Adaila McKenzie led Illinois with 13 points on 3 of 10 shooting. Berry Wallace had 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting.

Texas (33-3) will take on Tennessee on Saturday in the Sweet 16 in Birmingham, Alabama.

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