The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
7-0
Southern University
1-5
No. 3 Women’s Basketball cruises past Southern, 80-42
12.08.2014 | Women's Basketball
Longhorns improve to 7-0 after a 38-point victory on Monday.
Box Score (PDF) | Notes | Quotes | Photo Gallery
VIDEO: 40 Acres Field Trip
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Elevated to their highest national ranking in 10 years on Monday morning, No. 3 Texas Women's Basketball did nothing to tarnish the new status with a 80-42 victory over Southern University on Monday afternoon. Junior guard Empress Davenport matched her career best with 15 points to lead the Longhorns.
Senior forward Nneka Enemkpali added 18 points and 13 rebounds in 20 minutes to power Texas' inside game and notch her 23rd career double-double.
The Longhorns (7-0), off to the their best start since 2008, outrebounded Southern 48-22 and outscored the Jaguars 48-8 in the paint. Freshman guard Ariel Atkins scored 12 points and sophomore guard Brianna Taylor scored 10 points to round out four Longhorns in double-figure points.
"It feels good that we are at a place where we are getting some recognition that is deserved at this point today," said Head Coach Karen Aston. "But it doesn't mean a whole lot. We all understand that. It's early in the season. We have so much work to do."
The fourth annual 40 Acres Field Trip, including 4,876 fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh graders from schools in the Central Texas area, helped boost Monday's attendance to a season-high 7,046.
Kendra Coleman led Southern (1-5) with 17 points on 5-of-20 shooting. Britney Washington, Southern's leading scorer with 19 points per game, did not play for disciplinary reasons.
The Longhorns will complete the academic semester with final exams this week and return to the Erwin Center court against Northwestern State on Sunday (2 p.m. Central, Longhorn Network).
• New rankings: The Associated Press Top 25 was updated during Monday's game. The Longhorns moved up one spot to No. 3 with four first-place votes.
• Series: Texas now leads the series against Southern University 5-0, including a 3-0 mark in Austin.
• 7-0: The Longhorns improve to 7-0, which marks the best start since starting the 2008-09 season with an 11-0 record.
• Aggressive start: Texas held a 54-17 halftime lead, propelled by runs of 12-0 and 18-0. In five games at home, no Texas opponent has scored over 20 points in the first half. The Longhorns average 39.9 first-half points.
• Strong defense: The Longhorns held Southern to .292 shooting from the field (14-48 FG). It is the second game of the season Texas has held its opponent to a FG shooting percentage under .300. UT scored 28 points off 21 Southern turnovers.
• Senior forward Nneka Enemkpali scored 18 points (6-12 FG, 6-8 FT) with 13 rebounds in 19 minutes to move up to No. 38 on Texas' all-time scoring list with 992 points. Monday marked her 23rd career double-double.
• Pounding the paint: The Longhorns out-rebounded Southern, 48-22, and out-scored the Jaguars in the paint, 48-8. Texas also grabbed 20 offensive boards and scored 28 second-chance points.
• Sophomore center Lilley Vander Zee recorded her first career assist.
Head Coach Karen Aston
Opening Statement: The first thing that comes to my mind today is just appreciation for our athletic staff that coordinated with the AISD in making this game possible. It's been a game that I personally have been a part of since I've been a head coach, and one that I always look forward to. It's great to have all these people in the stands but also an opportunity to engage with our community and get our players in front of hopefully people that will establish them as role models. Second, I thought we played really good the first half again. Our energy level and the way we were executing was really great in the first half, but I would go back and look at this game and say that it wasn't nearly as efficient as the game against New Mexico. We turned the ball over recklessly today and our post players are not very happy with it all. They had about eight or nine turnovers out of the 15, so just not catching the ball, not paying attention to detail. Probably not prepared for as big of a crowd that we've got today. Still, they have to manage that without turning it over. Those will be some things as a Coach that will be addressed.
On how good the team is when it's clicking on all cylinders: We are clicking well, I think we're practicing hard, I like everything that we're doing but there's a lot ahead for us.
On Empress Davenport's performance today: She takes an adequate amount of shots. She struggled after the Stanford game, coming back from that game and shooting the ball effectively. She looked in rhythm today.
On how she feels about her team getting into the national spotlight: It feels good that we are at a place where we are getting some recognition that is deserved at this point today. But, it also doesn't mean a whole lot. I think we all understand that. It's so early in the season and so much to go that I'm proud of the players and coaches and the program, but we have so much work to do.
Ariel Atkins (Freshman, G)
On what she thinks about the team's overall chemistry: The thing that nobody really sees is how well we get along off the court, and that kind of resembles to the court, so it's easier for us to click on the court and have better chemistry.
On if it ever gets old winning with large leads like today: No, the game is fun. You are constantly moving playing with each other, always trying to get better. That's what we're focused on. Once you start getting up by a lot, it's not really about attacking the team. It's about focusing on what we need to get better at.
SOUTHERN
Associate Head Coach Carlos Funchess
On playing a tough opponent with leading scorer not playing: We thought it was best that she didn't play tonight so we pulled her from the line up. It was a disciplinary issue.
On facing Texas' size: Yes we have, but without a doubt they are the best team. I mean they are so athletic. They can play any style of basketball that you want to play. If you want to slow it down they can do that, if you want to play pick and roll basketball they can do that. They can shoot the three ball. Defensively they can apply tremendous pressure, full court I mean they can do it all. They are a really good team.
On playing in front of the 40 Acres Field Trip: I mean it was nice. I think this was a great idea that they had to invite all of the kids here and drum up some publicity for their program. I think it was good for both teams to have a crowd out here regardless if the kids really knew a lot about the game but they were having a good time. It was really good for both sides.
