The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
13-4, 1-2
Iowa State
12-4, 1-2
Women's Basketball picks up first Big 12 victory with 59-56 win over Iowa State
01.16.2008 | Women's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Point guard Carla Cortijo scored a team-high 13 points, including a three-pointer and a jumper in the final two minutes, as No. 24 Texas won its first Big 12 women's basketball game in its third try by defeating Iowa State 59-56 Wednesday at the Frank Erwin Center.
The Longhorns relied on Cortijo and freshman guard Kat Nash with a double-double (12 points, game-high 10 rebounds) down the stretch, along with sophomore guard Brittainey Raven. Nash and Raven (10 points) each made a foul shot with 20 seconds left to play, and Raven had a key block in the waning seconds, to push UT to 13-4 on the year. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Longhorns, who are now 1-2 in Big 12 action.
Iowa State, which entered the game with the nation's second-highest 3-pointers per game average (8.4) and the 10th-best 3-point shooting team in the nation, went five-for-22 from the 3-point line. ISU, now 12-4 overall and 1-2 in the league, had been shooting 39.5 percent from behind the arc.
The game saw eight lead changes and 10 ties.
The game was tied for the last time when Cortijo nailed a jumper with 1:59 left to tie the game at 54-54. After an Allison Lacey layup put the Cyclones up two, 56-54, 30 seconds later, Cortijo gave Texas the lead for good, 57-56, when she hit a straightaway three-pointer with 1:06 remaining.
In its next possession, ISU missed a jump shot and Cortijo came away with the defensive rebound. Fouled on the play, Cortijo missed the free throw, but the Cyclones then missed a three-pointer with 21 seconds left and Raven grabbed the defensive board and ISU's Heather Ezell picked up her fifth foul as she was whistled for an intentional foul.
Raven sank the first of her two free throws for a 58-56 UT edge and Texas was awarded the ball due to the intentional foul. Nash was immediately fouled and went to the line, making the first of her two free throws to push the lead to three, 59-56, with 19 seconds to go. Six seconds later, ISU's Lacey launched a three-pointer from the wing which missed. ISU regained control, and when Denae Stuckey attempted another trey with three seconds left, Raven blocked the shot to seal the win.
Cyclone freshman guard Kelsey Bolte scored a game-high 20 points to lead Iowa State.
UT shot 32.8 percent for the game, while ISU made 38.9 percent of its shots.
Both teams pulled down 41 rebounds. Texas held the advantage in second-chance points (16-7) and points off turnovers (12-9), while ISU had the 28-18 edge in points in the paint.
Texas returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 20 when it travels to Lubbock, Texas to face Texas Tech in a 5 p.m. Central conference game. The game will be televised nationally on FSN (FOX Sports Net).
POSTGAME NOTES
- Texas is 7-1 in home games this year
- Texas is now 2-2 in games decided by five points or less, and 1-1 in the Big 12 in these games
- Freshman guard Kat Nash notched her second double-double of the year with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds ... This was the fourth time in the last six games that a Longhorn has collected a double-double (points and rebounds) ... The other three double-doubles in this span belong to junior post Ashley Lindsey
- The Longhorns trailed at intermission, 27-25, and won its first game when down at the break... Texas is now 1-2 in games where it trails at the half
- Sophomore guard Brittainey Raven continued her double-figure scoring streak, having notched 10-plus points in all 17 games to date
- This was the 16th game in the Texas-Iowa State series, and the series is now tied, 8-8 ... ISU had won the last two games in the series prior to tonight
- UT redshirt sophomore forward Earnesia Williams had seven rebounds, one shy of tying her career and season-high of eight (vs. UT-Arlington on Nov. 29)
TEXAS POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Gail Goestenkors
Opening statement: I'm very excited to get our first conference win even though it was a hard-fought game. It was a tough game and I was pleased with the way we responded. I thought we started out with very little emotion and Niqky (Hughes) gave us a lift. If you would've told me that we would hit more threes than Iowa State, I would have thought you were crazy! We did what was necessary tonight in the second half, and we got the stops that we needed in the end. I'm very proud of our team tonight.
On the play of Carla Cortijo (returning to the starting lineup for the first time in three games following a shoulder injury): She knows what we want and when we need it, and she makes really good decisions. It helps the rest of the team feel really comfortable when she's at the point.
On getting her first Big 12 conference win: It was a difficult game. Every game is going to be difficult and I feel like we're getting better every night. Even after the first two losses (in the Big 12), I still felt that we were getting better. Each game is setting us in the right direction of where we want to be.
On getting the team motivated: I don't think we expect anybody to give us everything. We know that every team is doing to give us their best shot and early on tonight, I don't think we were aggressive and playing with energy.
We were settling and falling into Iowa State's trap when they played in the zone. They lulled us into spreading out and playing their style of basketball when they started in the zone. We're better when we're attacking, so that first timeout called was just about getting the momentum back.
On the play of freshman forward Kathleen Nash (second double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds): Kat has always given us great energy off the bench. She provides points and rebounds. She's just a spark off the bench. I really like her in that role. When we don't have to start her, we won't.
On the play of Niqky Hughes and Erneisha Bailey off the bench: I was really proud of Niqky in the first half. She gave us great energy when she came in and scored some quick baskets for us. She's trying to get herself back into shape and we know that she is one of our top defenders who can also shoot the three. I'm proud of E-Bay (Erneisha Bailey) as well, because she stayed positive after sitting out the first half (coaches decision) and gave us great energy in the second half.
On Saturday's game at Texas Tech (12-4, 0-3 in Big 12): Honestly, I have not had the opportunity to look ahead. I'm looking forward to a great Big 12 game. I've never been to Lubbock, but I've heard its quite an experience as a Texas team. I know they have wonderful fan support there, so it's a tough environment to go into.
SOPHOMORE GUARD Brittainey Raven
On the intentional foul call on Heather Ezell with 20 seconds left and UT up by two, 58-56, which sent Raven to the line for two free throws): Honestly, what I remember is that we were all going for the ball. Whatever happened, I believe that Ezell didn't do it (foul) on purpose. We all went for the ball, and they called the foul on her.
On coming off two losses to start the Big 12 season and what the difference was for the Longhorns tonight: Tonight, we were able to settle and get the offense set up. Having Carla out there to start really helps us get going. She does a really good job of taking care of the ball and setting up the plays.
Coming off two losses was really hard. We tried to stay positive and get better at the things that were not going well for us - like defensive intensity and sticking to running our plays. We knew that we needed to have energy and that everybody had to play hard in order to get the win.
We came out with a lot more energy tonight right away then we had the first two Big 12 games. We communicated more on the defensive end, talking more that was really important. Our press gave us some steals that led to baskets.
REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE POINT GUARD Carla Cortijo
On her play and starting for the first time in three games: When I was playing tonight, I was feeling 100 perfect. I was not thinking at all about my shoulder. I have been working with our (athletic) trainer every day, two and three times, to rehab, and I feel so much better. Coach G (Goestenkors) and I talked before the game and I told her that I know how important this game is and that we need a win in the Big 12, and that I will play every minute that she needs me to. That is what I was thinking about.
What UT's strategy was and what she was thinking down the stretch with two minutes to go (Cortijo scored five straight points to put UT up 57-56 with one minute to go): We were trying to press, which they don't like. We were pressing them the whole game to try and make them commit turnovers. The game was tied and I was trying to take care of the team and be poised and make the plays that the coaches wanted me to make. I was trying to execute.
FRESHMAN GUARD Kathleen Nash
On her role and notching a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds): I think because Iowa State was in different zones, we had room under the boards, and Coach G was telling us to get to the boards all night. I know that the second chance opportunities are really important, and we didn't do a great job with that the last few games, so that's what I was trying to do -- get to the boards.
IOWA STATE POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH BILL FENNELLY
General statement: This was a Texas was a lot tougher than us tonight. They were a lot tougher than us, and the tougher team deserves to win. They ran their press to perfection tonight.
JUNIOR GUARD HEATHER EZELL
On the team strategy: We knew that Texas liked to drive to the basket. They have a good inside game, and they have a good combo of inside and outside scoring threats. We went into the game trying to stop them in all aspects of the game. We saw the Kansas State game and noticed how much Kansas State was able to get to the basket, so we tried to do that too. Texas made some adjustments in the second half to slow us down.
