The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
15-6 (3-4) #25
Baylor
19-1 (7-0) # 6
No. 25 Women's Basketball nipped by No. 6 Baylor, 61-60, on late 3-pointer
01.30.2008 | Women's Basketball
WACO, Texas (AP) -- Baylor goes over the play in practice every day. It worked to perfection when the sixth-ranked Lady Bears needed it.
Angela Tisdale, the lone senior, used a screen from teammate Rachel Allison to get into the corner for a go-ahead 3-pointer with 19 seconds left and Baylor held on for a 61-60 victory over No. 25 Texas on Wednesday night.
"You make sure your senior has the ball in her hands and make sure the girl setting the screen is the best screener you have," coach Kim Mulkey said. "Tissy just cocked it and it went in."
Baylor (19-1, 7-0 Big) won its 12th straight game and matched the 1975-76 team for the best overall start in team history.
Tisdale, the only player remaining from Baylor's 2005 national championship team, had shot only 9-of-41 from the field in her last six games against the Longhorns. She was 6-for-12 with 19 points this time.
"This felt good," Tisdale said. "I know we didn't play that good, but to win that game under those circumstances felt good."
Texas (15-6, 3-4 Big 12) had a chance at winning the game, but Kathleen Nash's shot with 3.4 seconds left was blocked by Danielle Wilson. It was the only block of the game for the 6-foot-3 sophomore, but saved the game.
"That was the biggest play of the game except for Tissy's three, and it turned into a turnover for them," said Allison, who had 10 rebounds.
Brittainey Raven got the rebound of the block for Texas, but then lost the dribble out of bounds. Raven fouled Tisdale on the inbound pass with 1.5 seconds left. After missing her first free throw, Tisdale intentionally missed the second and Texas couldn't get a shot off despite getting the rebound.
"She couldn't have missed a shot better than she did," Mulkey said. "It didn't just land. They had to go retrieve it."
Baylor, 7-0 in the Big 12 for the first time, plays Saturday at No. 18 Kansas State (15-5, 7-0) in a matchup of the Big 12 leaders. The Wildcats have won 10 straight games.
Wilson added 11 points and Jessica Morrow 10 for Baylor.
Ashley Lindsey led Texas with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Carla Cortijo scored 16 points.
Texas led 60-58 on Lindsey's jumper with 42 seconds left, the Longhorns' first lead since 22-21 late in the first half. Then came Tisdale's game-winner.
"Baylor made the plays when they had to. Tisdale caused us problems all night," coach Gail Goestenkors said. "We had tremendous effort and emotion. When you're playing a team as good as Baylor, you need to take advantage of all the little things you can. Unfortunately, we didn't do those things."
POSTGAME NOTES
- This was the eighth game of the season for UT decided by 10 or less points ... UT is 3-0 in games decided by 6-10 points and now 2-3 in games decided by five points or less
- Ashley Lindsey notches her fourth double-double of the year (a team-high) with a career-best 20 points to go with 10 rebounds... She now has seven double-doubles in her career
- Texas has its two-game Big 12 win streak ended, and now is 15-6 overall and 3-4 in Big 12 play
- Texas is still in search of its first conference road win, going to 0-3 in Big 12 away game play
- Sophomore point guard Brittainey Raven (7 points) saw her 20-game streak of double-digit scoring games snapped... Raven had been in double-figure scoring all 20 games to start the year and entered the game with a team-high 16.1 ppg average
- This was the 72nd meeting in the Texas-Baylor series which is led by Texas, 52-20 ... Baylor, however, has won the last five meetings, dating back to the 2004-05 season when #15 UT posted its last win against the #4 Lady Bears, 69-55, in upset fashion on Jan. 22, 2005
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Gail Goestenkors
Her general statement: That was a heck of a ball game, and I give a lot of credit to Baylor, especially in the final minutes for executing when they had to. Angela Tisdale hit that winning three and she was giving us trouble all night long. It was a tremendous effort on our part however. This is a process for our team, and we are getting there. But, against a quality opponent like Baylor, we need to hit the free throws and take care of the ball all game long, and we didn't do that tonight. We also fouled the shooters too many times tonight and sent them to the line way too much.
On that last possession, I felt like we had two good options, but the ball was tipped and it went to Kat (Nash), so she had to take the shot and then, we got the rebound but it bounced off us and out of play.
Like I told the team, I am disappointed in the loss, because you never feel good about losing, but we are improving every game. That's the most important message for our team right now.
