The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
West Virginia
Women's Basketball falls to No. 7/8 West Virginia, 67-60
03.09.2014 | Women's Basketball
Longhorns' comeback falls short in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship semifinals.
Box Score (PDF) | Notes | Photo Gallery
VIDEO: Highlights | Press Conference
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Texas Women's Basketball fell to No. 7/8 West Virginia, 67-60, on Sunday evening in the semifinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Senior Chassidy Fussell led Texas with 15 points and five rebounds in 31 minutes before fouling out with 3:51 remaining in the game. Freshman Nekia Jones scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 19 minutes. Sophomore Celina Rodrigo added 10 points with five rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes.
Twice in the second half the Longhorns (21-11) fell behind by 10 points, only to rally for a one-point deficit. Texas came within one shot of taking the lead at the 11:36 mark (44-43) and the 4:00 mark (58-57), but did not take a second-half lead. Rodrigo set the pace for UT's second half efforts -- recording all of her 10 points and five assists after the break.
The Mountaineers (29-3) made 37 trips to the free throw line to UT's 19. WVU staved off a late Texas comeback by converting nine of their last 11 free throw attempts in the last five minutes of the game.
Texas will await the seeding announcement during the NCAA Selection Show on March 17 at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
TEAM NOTES
• Series: With the loss, West Virginia leads the all-time series 4-2 and the season series 2-1. In post-season play, West Virginia leads Texas 2-0 all-time.
• Starters: For the seventh time this season, Texas started Celina Rodrigo, Chassidy Fussell, Brady Sanders, Nneka Enemkpali and Imani McGee-Stafford. Texas is 3-4 when this lineup has started this season.
• Texas 21 first half points tied for the second-lowest first half point total this season and the third time this season the Longhorns have finished the first half with 21 points (at West Virginia Jan. 12 and at Baylor Feb. 16). The lowest first-half point total for Texas this season was 18 at TCU on Jan. 19.
• For the seventh time this season, six Longhorns finished with four or more rebounds. Twice this season Texas has finished with seven players with four or more rebounds.
• This is the eighth game this season the Longhorns have lost in which they have out-rebounded their opponent. Texas out-rebounded the Mountaineers 41-29 in the loss.
• Texas recorded a higher shooting percentage (38 percent), free throw percentage (78 percent), outscored West Virginia's bench 24-13, recorded more blocks (7 to 3) and delivered more assist (9 to 7).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Chassidy Fussell
• Finished with 15 points off of 5-of-12 shooting, 3-of-3 from the free throw line, and grabbed five rebounds in 31 minutes of play.
• Fouled out with 3:51 left in the second half.
Nekia Jones
• Finished with 14 points off 5-of-7 shooting and grabbed four rebounds in a season-high 19 minutes of play.
• Scored nine points in the first half alone and was perfect from the floor with 3-3 FGs, 1-1 3 pt. FGs, and 2-2 from the line.
• Missed her first shot of the night at the 10:58 mark of the 2nd half. Was 4-4 from the field with 12 points prior to the missed 3-pointer.
• Averaging 23.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per 40 minutes.
Celina Rodrigo
• Finished with 10 points for her fifth double-figure scoring effort this season. Also grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists in 29 minutes of play.
• Had a hand in 10 straight Texas points during a 2:40 minutes span in the second half as she scored six points and assisted Kelsey Lang on two easy layups.
Imani McGee-Stafford
• Finished with five points and six rebounds with a game-high four blocks in 21 minutes of play.
• Sank her fourth 3-pointer of the season and is now 4-of-7 from beyond-the-arc, good for 57.1 percent.
