The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
15-7, 4-7
Baylor *
22-1, 11-0
No. 20/16 Women’s Basketball edged by No. 3/3 Baylor, 70-68
02.08.2015 | Women's Basketball
Longhorns’ rally comes up just short against third-ranked Baylor.
Box Score | Notes | Quotes | Photo Gallery
AUSTIN, Texas -- A feverish rally late in the game came up just short as No. 20/16 Texas Women's Basketball fell to No. 3/3 Baylor, 70-68, on Sunday at the Frank Erwin Center.
The Longhorns trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half, but used a 7-2 run down the stretch to pull within two points.
Texas (15-7, 4-7 Big 12) was led by sophomore center Kelsey Lang, who registered her first career double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 37 minutes.
Three other Longhorns registered double-figure points -- junior guard Brady Sanders (14 points), freshman guard Brooke McCarty (10 points) and sophomore guard Brianna Taylor (11 points). Sanders added six assists to increase her season average to a team-best 3.0 assists per game.
The Longhorns became the second team to out-rebound Baylor (22-1, 11-0 Big 12) this season with a 39-to-36 edge on the board.
Nina Davis led by with 20 points and eight rebounds.
Texas travels to face Oklahoma State on Wednesday (7 p.m. Central) in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
• SERIES: Sunday's contest marked the 134th meeting between Texas and Baylor—Texas leads the all-time series, 57-31. Baylor has won the last 10 meetings.
• LANG'S FIRST DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Kelsey Lang registered her first career double-double with 20 (7-9 FG, 6-7 FT) points and 11 rebounds. Lang is UT's active leading scorer (10.9 ppg) and rebounder (6.5 rpg). This marks Lang's seventh consecutive game with double-figure points.
• CRASHING THE BOARDS: The Horns out-rebounded Baylor 39 to 36 making the Bears the 21st team Texas has out-rebounded this season.
• FREE THROWS: Texas shot 84 percent (21-25) from the line, its third-best percentage of the season. Lead Texas at the line on Sunday was Brady Sanders, who made all six of her free throws, and Kelsey Lang's 6-of-7 performance at the line.
Head Coach Karen Aston
Opening Statement: I thought that it was a terrific crowd today in the Erwin Center. I really appreciate the fans that came out, it was a great atmosphere, one that we haven't had in quite some time. It was fun to coach in it and I'm sure the players enjoyed playing in it. I thought our team did some things today a lot better than we've been doing in the last few days. In particular, cutting our turnovers down and giving ourselves a chance to score today, and we were much more efficient offensively. The difference in the game really boiled down to some possessions—I thought they gathered some offensive rebounds, got on the foul line a few times where it was critical. It was the game. We just didn't execute a few things down the stretch. But again, our team adjusted really well today, we worked on some things that we haven't worked on a whole lot this year, they implemented it and followed the game plan. I'm really pleased with some things today, obviously there's no moral victories in this game, but I'm pleased with the way that we played the game today. If we can build on this, then we can get back on track
On what the call was with five seconds left on the game: I was this play that I felt that we were comfortable running, because we did had some young players that were in situations where maybe they haven't been in, and I knew that we could've executed that play. I really didn't think she [Ariel Atkins] would come off of it and be wide open, but I did think that we could get to the next portion of the play which would've been an on ball with Kelsey [Lang] coming out and setting one for Ariel where we could get her in a two-man game. I thought that we could have made a play. We were just trying to score, trying to even the game.
On the improvement of center Kelsey Lang this year: I think that Kelsey has had an atypical Sophomore year when a player didn't have extended minutes as a Freshman. We've seen some ups and downs, but as far as where she is now compared to last year—it's light years. This was a terrific performance by her, and I'm going to say this because is not about the points to me, and the rebounds, that's given. If you see a double-double then you know a post players has done something. But to me, today, was the fact that Kelsey had a presence. She wanted the ball, she was demanding the ball, she worked for the ball, and that's something that she should do every day because she's capable. I've thought all year long that she was a big key for us because she can score and we need her to shoot.
On if the goals of the team have changed with the personnel losses and being this far down the season: I think the only goal that has changed, it that we have to be realistic about the fact that we're not going to win the conference title. That's not a realistic goal right now based on the standings and what we have left. It would be take something monumental on a few parts. You can stop right there and the rest of them that we've set are within reach. We talked about winning 20 games, we talked about getting to the NCAA tournament. I do think that we looked like a team today that was ready to move forward. I made the comment a few times that I thought it was hard for this team to regroup form the injuries, and particularly, the loss of Nneka Enemkpali, and I think that this was the first game that I save us play where we look like we were ready to move forward. I'm encouraged about what we have left.
Brady Sanders (Junior, G)
On how bad the loss hurts: I would say that this one hurts pretty bad because I know how hard we worked preparing for this game and how hard we worked to stay in it. It definitely hurts and I definitely feel like that the last possession was on me for sure.
On the last possession: I missed Ariel [Atkins] coming off the screen and I should have tried to get it to her. I shouldn't have had that mistake.
On if she feels like they lost a great chance to take down Baylor: Yeah, but we can't look back and dwell on this. One thing about the Big 12 is that each game is a big opportunity and chance to move forward in standings. It hurts, I'm sure everyone on our team is very disappointed when you work so hard and come up just two points short. We can't look back on it or dwell on it, we just have to learn from the film and move forward with the positive things that we had this game.
On if the guards feel like they needed to rebound more since Nneka Enemkpali has been hurt: Nneka was a rebounding beast so we understood that not one person could fill that void. It's something we talk about before and after practice and games—the guards have to commit to rebounding and crashing. We struggled with that after the first few games without Nneka because we were just so dependent on her. We weren't getting loose balls because we were used Nneka going to get them. Nneka was there and she got every board almost. It took some getting used to having to get in the mindset that it's all of our responsibility, not just depend on one person. I think we are getting better at it, but there is more room for improvement.
Kelsey Lang (Sophomore, C)
On if she's adjusted her mindset going into the games: Whenever I had those four or five games at the start of conference, I just had no confidence in my shot or in anything. My teammates and my coaches pushed me. They told me that they believed that I would start hitting shots and they were the reason that I got through that span. Now, they are giving me good passes, hitting me when I'm open and when I'm calling for it. I couldn't have done anything without their passes and confidence in me.
On if she feels extra responsibility after Nneka Enemkpali got hurt: We are all starting to understand that without Nneka, obviously no one person is going to be able to fill her shoes. She was an amazing player and an amazing part of this team. We are starting to realize that we need to take on a part of her role and hopefully that will help to fill the void.
On if there is any pride in taking the No. 3 team in the country down to the last final seconds: It wasn't the outcome that we wanted, but if we take one positive out of the game, it would be that we finally fought and played like a team today. I don't think that anyone could say that about any of our Big 12 losses this far. This one, we can say that we did play as a team and we did try to do what the coaches told us. That's something that we can definitely build on.
BAYLOR QUOTES:
Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey
On Texas last shot: I don't know that I was worried about who was going to shoot it. We were in control of the game. We were up nine with 3:55 to go and we were shooting two free throws. Everything that could go wrong in the last 3:55 did. We missed two free throws; that would've put us up 11. We went down let them make a three and missed a rebound on a missed free throw from them. You have another turn over on an inbound and they hit another three, but we won the game. We made the defensive stop at the end to win the game, but we have lots of film work on that last three minutes to teach. I didn't think it was an ugly game because there weren't a lot of turnovers. I didn't think that we handled their zone very well and I'm disappointed in that because we've seen lots of zone. I honestly think that we're a better zone offensive team than we are a man to man, but we either got fatigued and stood around and didn't flash or screen the zone. I thought we battled as hard as we could on the boards with their bigs and we'll take a win.
On free throw shooting: I saw a lot of free throws today—22 on one team and 25 for another team. We've got to quit fouling, get to the film room and we have to fix it. It's not been a problem all year, but all of the sudden the last couple of games it's been a problem. You can't have three starters with two fouls in the first half. Quite honestly, I gambled putting them back in in the first half. I didn't think when we took the ten point lead in the first half that we held it or have confidence to stay out there and so I gambled and put the starting group back in and three of them had two fouls, but it worked out and they didn't pick up their third.
On similarity to Kentucky game: Well it's similar, but the Kentucky game was more panic and we weren't panicked out there today. We're a better team than we showed those last 3:55. It was things that I thought we did our self. You don't go underneath the screen when you know they are going to be shooting three's. You don't turn the ball over when all you have to do is milk the clock. There were just things that we can do a better job of and that's not to take away anything from Texas because they played extremely hard. They probably played as well as they've played in a while. I don't know that, only their coaching staff would know that but they made a good run.
On Kelsey Lang: I told her after the game that I think Kelsey Lang is the most improved player that I've seen from a kid in our league in a long time. I don't know that she made one face up basket today and that's usually what she wants to do all of the time. She went down there she posted and asked for the ball and she turned and she scored it. When you're 6-5, you're supposed to do that and I compliment a kid that has realized what she needs to improve on and she had a very good game.
Baylor Guard Imani Wright
On what gave you the aggressive mindset early on: I just want to do anything for my team and I saw the open shot so I took it.
On what was going on in your mind those final seconds: Just to try and get the defensive stop and get the win. Basically just do anything that we could to get that.
Baylor Guard Niya Johnson
On anticipating what Texas would do on the last play: I had no clue. I just told my team that we have to communicate no matter what and we did very well. Sune and Nina helped me block the shot and we got the win and I was thankful I was there.
On hoping the last shot didn't go to Kelsey Lang: A little bit because how the game was going she was either going to get fouled or make the basket and I'm glad they didn't.
