The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
9-4, 0-1
Oklahoma State *
12-0, 1-0
Women's Basketball drops Big 12 opener at No. 11/13 Oklahoma State, 67-61
01.02.2014 | Women's Basketball
Junior Nneka Enemkpali leads Texas with 18 points and nine rebounds.
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Texas Women's Basketball team held No. 11/13 Oklahoma State under its season scoring average by more than 14 points, but were unable to upset the Cowgirls in the Big 12 opener on Thursday night at the Gallagher-Iba Arena, losing 67-61.
Junior Nneka Enemkpali led Texas in scoring for the eighth time this season with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Freshman Kelsey Lang led Texas in rebounding with a season-high 12 rebounds.
In the first half, Texas (9-4, 0-1 Big 12) trailed by five early to Oklahoma State, until the Longhorns went on a 12-0 run over a four minute span to lead by five with 13:48 left in the first half. Oklahoma State regained the lead, 15-14, at the 10:16 mark off a layup by LaShawn Jones, but neither team led by more than three for the remainder of the first half. Texas headed into half down by one, 32-31.
In the second half, Texas and Oklahoma State traded baskets for the first seven minutes until the Cowgirls scored on three straight possessions to lead 39-44 at the 12:40 mark. Oklahoma State increased their lead to seven, 41-48, off another layup by Jones at the 9:45 mark. The Cowgirls were able to keep Texas at bay, only allowing the Longhorns to come within five points for the remainder of the second half.
Sophomore Brady Sanders hit a 3-pointer to pull Texas within 61-55 with 1:03 remaining but Oklahoma State went 6 of 6 from the free-throw line, including Tiffany Bias who scored a game-high 23 points, in the final 51 seconds to hold off the Longhorns.
Bias and Liz Donohoe lead OSU (12-0, 1-0 Big 12) with 23 and 17 points, respectively.
Texas returns to action in its Big 12 home opener Sunday against Kansas State at 2 p.m. Central on Longhorn Network.
TEAM NOTES
• Series: Thursday's game marked the 39th meeting between Texas and Oklahoma State. Texas leads the all-time series with the Cowgirls, 25-14.
• Starters: Sophomore guard Empress Davenport, sophomore guard Celina Rodrigo, sophomore guard Brady Sanders, junior forward Nneka Enemkpali and freshman center Kelsey Lang. Texas is 1-1 with this starting lineup.
• In the first half, Texas shot 31.2 percent from the floor and 92.9 percent from the free throw line, as compared to Oklahoma State's 29.0 field goal percentage and 92.3 percent free throw percentage. Texas' 92.9 percent free throw percentage is the highest in a half this season, with at least five attempts.
• Texas held Oklahoma State to 67 points, which is more than 14 points under their season scoring average of 81.3 points per game through the previous 11 contests.
• The Longhorns also held Oklahoma State under their season averages in field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, rebounds, assists and steals.
• For Texas, three players scored in double-figures (Enemkpali 18, McGee-Stafford 12, and Sanders 10) with five players shooting over 50 percent for the game.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Nneka Enemkpali
• Led the team in scoring with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go along with nine rebounds. This is the eighth time this season she has led Texas in scoring.
Kelsey Lang
• Grabbed a game- and season-high 12 rebounds in 23 minutes of play.
• Chipped in six points and dished out two assists, which ties her season high.
Celina Rodrigo
• Dished out a team-high five assists in a season-high 30 minutes of play. This is the fourth straight contest she has led UT in assists, and the seventh of the season.
• Over the last six games she carries a 3.6-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Imani McGee-Stafford
• Scored 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting for her sixth double-digit scoring effort of the season and the 22nd of her career.
Brady Sanders
• Scored 10 points all in the second half on 4-of-7 shooting, 2-of-4 from beyond-the-arc, in a season-high 30 minutes of play. This is her third double-digit scoring effort this season and the sixth of her career.
