AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns suffered their worst home loss of the season on Monday, losing 73-51 to Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Moody Center.
The loss knocks the Longhorns out of the tournament and they finish the season with a 26-10 record. Louisville, the No. 5 seed in the region, now heads to Seattle to face No. 8 Ole Miss in the Sweet 16 on Friday. The Rebels pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament thus far, eliminating top seed 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 on Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith (10) leads Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on 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 time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric gay)
- Louisville forward Olivia Cochran (44) takes a rebound off Texas forward DeYona Gaston, right, during the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on 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 on Monday, March 20 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- Louisville forward Liz Dixon (22) and Texas forward Khadija Faye, right, battle for a rebound during the first half of a second round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on Monday 20 March 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- Louisville center Josie Williams (40) gets past Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the first half of a second time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on 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 time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on 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 on 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 time college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on 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 on 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 on 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 on Monday, Oct. 20 March 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- The Louisville dugout celebrates a score against Texas during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on 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 on 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 on Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay )
- Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) reaches 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 on Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
- Texas guard Rori Harmon, right, takes pressure from Louisville guard Chrislyn Carr, left, during the second half of a second half college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas on Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo /Eric Gay)
Louisville coach Jeff Walz said his team “played exceptionally well.”
“We did a great job defensively making sure we knew the matchups, we knew who we were defending through the rallies as well and we knew what that person was doing,” Walz said. “We played defensively like we have all season.”
Louisville created the split with a 21-7 second quarter after the teams played to a 16-16 tie after the first frame. Texas overcame seven turnovers in the first quarter to tie the game, but Louisville’s defense always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, contesting every shot the Longhorns put up. It finally reached the Longhorns and Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith went to work. He led all scorers with 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
DeYona Gaston was the only Longhorn to score in the second frame, getting seven of her 12 points. Texas cut the deficit to nine points after a pair of foul shots by Taylor Jones with 5:29 left in the third quarter, but the Cardinals called off the game early on a 12–0 run soon after.
“I have to apologize to the University of Texas for today and how the team played,” Longhorns coach Vic Schaefer said. “This university deserves us to play better than this. This is not the way you want to go out. It’s nobody’s fault but mine.”
Texas missed 15 layups on the night and whenever it looked like they were going to get an easy bucket in, it wasn’t so easy. Conversely, Louisville made 17 layups of its 30 field goals.
Schaefer said the last two workouts have been great for his team, but those good workouts didn’t translate into Monday night.
“We didn’t play the way I felt like we were ready to play,” said Schaefer. “Win with the guard game, and his [Louisville coach Jeff Walz] they were special tonight.
Merissah Russell’s layup with 2:54 left in the frame capped off the big run for the Cardinals and then they went into speed control basically the entire fourth quarter,
Texas shot 1-of-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 hit 30 of 64 shooting. Texas entered the game averaging 18 forced turnovers per game, and were only able to get 10 with eight in the second half.
Harmon left the field with a lower left leg injury in the fourth quarter, landing on it awkwardly after a play in the paint. He limped off the floor, but chants of his name rang out throughout the Moody Center.
For Texas, Harmon and Njakalenga Mwenentenda each scored 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 bore the brunt of the disappointment.
“I have to do a better job of teaching kids how to compete more consistently,” Schaefer said. “They’ve had a lot of growth, but some things need to change. Toughness has been an issue off and on all year, and I think that’s an Achilles heel that showed up today.
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