The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
13-6, 4-3
West Virginia *
17-3, 6-2
Women's Basketball defeats No. 18/21 West Virginia, 66-63
01.25.2014 | Women's Basketball
Junior Nneka Enemkpali grabs a career-high 21 rebounds as Longhorns improve to 10-1 at home.
Box Score (PDF) | Notes | Quotes | Photo Gallery
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Women's Basketball defeated No. 18/21 West Virginia on Saturday afternoon, 66-63, to improve to 10-1 at the Erwin Center this season. Junior Nneka Enemkpali recorded a conference-high 21 rebounds to help the Longhorns out-rebound the Mountaineers 46-to-27.
Texas (13-6, 4-3) featured three players with double-digit points, led by Enemkpali's 15 points and 21 boards for her fifth double-double of the year. Sophomore Brady Sanders scored 14 points, including 12 in the first half, while freshman Nekia Jones tallied 11 points in just 11 minutes.
Texas pulled out to a 40-33 lead at halftime behind 50 percent shooting (14-28 FG), including four 3-point field goals. Sanders tallied double-digit points in the first half for the first time in her career with 12 points (4-5 FG). Jones also proved an efficient offensive presence, scoring nine points in six first-half minutes.
The Mountaineers came out of the locker room on a 10-0 run to re-gain the lead, 43-40. The teams exchanged buckets until WVU took a 61-56 advantage with 7:49 to play. Texas answered with a 9-1 run to go up 65-62 with 2:50 remaining.
With a two-point Texas lead and 21 seconds remaining, Enemkpali provided the Longhorns with a crucial block and rebound on the defensive end. Enemkpali was fouled on her 20th rebound, which put her at the free throw line with Texas in the double-bonus. She sank one-of-two free throws to give Texas a three-point cushion, 66-63. WVU missed on two field goal opportunities in the last possession of the game before Enemkpali's career-high 21st rebound sealed the Texas victory.
Texas held WVU to without a field goal in the last 7:49 of the second half.
Bria Holmes led the Mountaineers (17-3, 6-2) with 17 points and Averee Fields followed with 12 points and six assists.
Texas begins a two-game road swing on Tuesday against Kansas (7 p.m. Central, ESPN3), followed by a trip to Waco to face Baylor on Saturday, Feb. 1 (6:30 p.m. Central, FOX Spots Southwest).
• Series: Sunday's game marked the fifth meeting between Texas and West Virginia and the second meeting this season. WVU leads the series, 2-3. The series is tied during the Big 12 era, 2-2.
• Starters: Sophomore Celina Rodrigo, senior Chassidy Fussell, sophomore Brady Sanders, junior Nneka Enemkpali and freshman Kelsey Lang. This is the first time this lineup has been used and the 10th different starting lineup in 19 games this season.
• In the first half, Texas shot 50 percent from the field, including 80 percent (4-of-5) from the 3-point line. Texas' 3-point shooting percentage was the highest in a half this season.
• Texas out-rebounded West Virginia, 46-to-27. WVU's 27 rebounds is 10 below their Big 12 average of 37.3 and nearly 15 rebounds below their season average of 42.6 per game.
• This marks the third win Texas has had over a ranked opponent this season. Previously, the Longhorns defeated No. 12/11 Texas A&M (11/29/13) and No. rv/22 Oklahoma (01/08/14).
• Texas and West Virginia are both celebrating their 40th season of Women's Basketball.
Nneka Enemkpali
• Grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds (13 in the second half) and scored 15 points (13 in the second half) for her fifth double-double this season and the 18th of her career.
• Also registered two blocks which both came in the second half.
• Her 21 rebounds also mark a season-high in the Big 12 Conference. Previously the Big 12 Conference high for rebounds in a game was 18 by Audrisa Harrison of Texas Tech versus Florida Atlantic on 12/21/13.
Brady Sanders
• In the first half, scored 12 points off 4-of-5 shooting and grabbed three rebounds.
• Finished with 14 points and four rebounds for her third double figures game this season and the sixth of her career.
Celina Rodrigo
• Dished out five assists with four in the first half to lead Texas.
• Texas is 6-1 when Rodrigo has five or more assists.
Nekia Jones
• Scored in double figures for the third time this season with 11 points.
• Jones is shooting 57.7 percent in games when she reaches double figures.
Lilley Vander Zee
• Made her Big 12 Conference debut and played in the first half of a game for the first time this season.
• Went 1-fo-1 at the free throw line to remain perfect at the charity stripe this season (7-7 FT).
Head Coach Karen Aston
Opening Statement: I am just really proud of our team. I thought it was a complete team effort in the first half. I thought especially Brady and Nekia gave us a lift in the first half, and that everybody that came in in the first half really gave us great energy. I thought in the second half that our experienced players took over the game, which I don't think that anyone necessarily took over the game, but they took over for our team. Nneka and Chassidy down the stretch and the decision making of our guards caused us to end up executing some things better. The end of the game was who ever wanted the ball more. I don't think any of us took great shots, but it was a matter of will in the last couple of minutes. I thought our players made the adjustments that were necessary from the last time we played West Virginia.
On junior forward Nneka Enemkpali wanting the ball more than anyone else on the court: I think down the stretch there is no question. We all know Nneka understands her importance to our team. She has to deal at times with how to play through the game with the motor and intensity she has without fouling. Toward the end of the game, I think she realized she wasn't in foul trouble, and she was able to let herself go and play aggressively, which is when she is at her best.
On finishing this game stronger than in previous games: I think we've learned that execution is really important. We are beginning to understand that every game is going to take execution down the stretch in the last three or four minutes. Most of these [games] have come down to making free throws and crucial rebounds down the stretch. That's what all of these games are amounting to, and that's probably how this is going to be. I don't think the Big 12 games are going to be any different. Every day you pick up the paper and read who has beaten who, and what the scores have been like. I think we had better get used to that.
Sophomore guard Brady Sanders
On what she learned about their team today: I think that we're improving. The things that we worked on in practice are the things that we executed during the game. It's good to see that finally carrying over. Hopefully in the push through the second half of conference we are going to keep getting better and better at that.
On what she saw in Nneka Enemkpali today: I saw extraordinary things from her. I didn't even know she had that many rebounds. That is something that goes unnoticed during the game, but then when you see the stat sheet afterwards, you realize the game could have gone either way if she didn't have all of those. She had a great game today on the boards.
Junior forward Nneka Enemkpali
On her will and determination down the stretch: I did not know that I had 21 rebounds until the end of the game. The ball is not going to go in every night, and I just felt like I had to do whatever it was that I know I can bring to the team. I know that I can bring energy and play with effort, and that's just what I tried to do.
On focusing on rebounding after not scoring much in the first half: I feel like if the ball is not going to go in the hole then I have to find a different way to contribute to the team. I know that defensively, I am pretty consistent, so I tried to play principles the best I could, stay out of foul trouble, and obviously rebound.
WEST VIRGINIA QUOTES
Head Coach Mike Carey
Opening Statement: I thought Texas played harder than we did in the first half. We stood around and it cost us. Down the stretch, we had opportunities, took bad shots and didn't block out. They won. Give them a lot of credit; they played hard.
On the final possession: We tried to set up a flare for (sophomore guard) Bria Holmes. They switched out for the person who set the pick for the flare and Bria did get a good look. It went in and out. We were just going to go ahead and take the three with Bria.
On Texas junior forward Nneka Enemkpali: She played hard. I'll tell you what, she played just as hard as anyone I've seen in the Big 12. She was all over the place. We had a couple down the stretch where we had her beat when we were going in for a layup and she blocked us from behind. She plays really, really hard.
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