The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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No. 8 Women's Basketball preview: Kansas State [Feb. 17, 2016]
02.16.2016 | Women's Basketball
Longhorns and Wildcats meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT on LHN.
No. 8/7 Texas Longhorns (22-2, 11-2 Big 12) vs. Kansas State Wildcats (16-8, 6-7 Big 12)
Location: Austin, Texas | Frank Erwin Center (16,540)
Time: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | 7 p.m. CT
TV: Longhorn Network (Fran Harris, Nell Fortner, Jane Slater)
Radio: 104.9 FM The Horn (Craig Way, Kathy Harston)
Tickets | Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Audio | WatchESPN
AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 8/7 University of Texas women's basketball team looks to get back on the winning track on Wednesday when it plays host to Kansas State. Tip-off in the Frank Erwin Center is slated for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be televised nationally on Longhorn Network.
The Longhorns (22-2, 11-2 Big 12 Conference), who are coming off a 74-56 loss at No. 21 Oklahoma last Sunday, are looking to reach their 12th Big 12 Conference win for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
"I think tomorrow night is going to be a really tough game," Texas head coach Karen Aston said. "Kansas State is playing really, really good basketball right now. They have a lot of confidence. They had a terrific win against Oklahoma and then followed it up with a good win against their rival [Kansas]. It's a team that gives us some challenges. They have a great player in the paint with Bre Lewis and they have several guards who can shoot the basketball. It will be a challenge for our team in a lot of ways but I expect us to be ready to play."
Former Texas women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors will be honored at Wednesday's game for her role in the Longhorns achieving the 1,000 all-time win milestone. Goestenkors won 102 games and advanced to five NCAA Tournaments during her five seasons on the Forty Acres from 2007-12. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2015.
Senior Texas center Imani Boyette leads the Longhorns in scoring (12.4 points per game), rebounding (9.7 rebounds per game) and blocked shots (3.4 blocks per game). She has recorded 12 double-doubles this season. In conference play only, Boyette averages 12.9 points per game, leads the league in blocked shots at 4.3 blocks per game and ranks second in the Big 12 in rebounding at 10.8 boards per game.
Sophomore guard Brooke McCarty follows with 11.8 points per game. In conference games only, McCarty leads the league in three-point field goal percentage at 45.8 percent. In the last five games alone, McCarty is averaging a squad-best 14.6 points per game in an average of 35.4 minutes per game, making 10-of-19 three-point attempts. She has scored in double figures on 15 occasions this season.
Sophomore guard Ariel Atkins is the third Longhorn averaging double-figure point totals on the season at 10.2 points per game. Junior center Kelsey Lang is the team's second-leading rebounder at 5.0 boards per game. Senior guard Celina Rodrigo has dished out a squad-best 93 assists on the season while junior guard Brianna Taylor has logged a team-best 35 steals.
Texas and Kansas State meet for the 32nd time in the history of the two programs. The Longhorns lead the all-time series, 17-14, including four of the last five meetings. Texas defeated Kansas State 66-51 in Manhattan, Kan., on January 30.
Kansas State enters Wednesday's game with a 16-8 overall record and a 6-7 mark in Big 12 Conference play. The Wildcats are on a two-game win streak, having defeated No. 21 Oklahoma last Wednesday and having beaten Kansas last Saturday.
Kansas State's Breanna Lewis and Kindred Wesemann have combined for 44.1 percent of their team's point total this season. Lewis ranks fourth in the Big 12 in scoring at 16.3 points per game, while Wesemann is averaging 13.2 points per game to rank 10th.
QUICK NOTES
- With its victory against Kansas State on Jan. 30, Texas reached 20 wins for the 33rd time in program history. The 2015-16 Longhorns tied for the third-fastest team in program history to reach 20 wins.
- On January 27, Texas became just the fifth program in NCAA Division I women's basketball history to reach 1,000 all-time wins. The Longhorns rank fifth all-time in NCAA history with 1,003 wins.
- Texas opened the season by winning its first 16 games. It marked the third-best start in program history. The Longhorns opened Big 12 play with a 5-0 start, marking the best start to a league schedule since the 2002-03.
- Texas has won the rebounding battle in 21 of 24 games this season. The Longhorns are averaging 43.2 boards per game and are winning the rebound margin by +11.2. Texas ranks ninth nationally in rebound margin.
- Sophomore guard Brooke McCarty has stepped up big for the Longhorns this season, but especially in the last five games. Since the January 27 meeting with Kansas, McCarty is averaging 14.6 points per game and has made 10-of-19 three-point attempts. She has scored in double figures 15 times this season.
- The Longhorns are 5-2 (.714) this year against top-25 teams, including a 2-1 (.667) mark against top-10 foes this season.
- Texas has shot 50 percent or better from the field on five occasions this season, including a 50.8 percent (31-of-61) clip against Oklahoma on Jan 23. The Longhorns shot a season-best 55.7 percent (34-of-61) against Canisius on Dec. 16.
- The Longhorns shot a season-best 88.9 percent (16-of-18) from the free-throw line against Oklahoma on January 23.
- Texas ranks 11th nationally in scoring margin at +17.8 points per game, 11th nationally in field goal percentage defense at 34.2, and ninth nationally in rebound margin at +11.2.
- Up next, Texas remains at home on Sunday when it plays host to West Virginia. Tip-off in the Frank Erwin Center is slated for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be televised by FSN.
PRE-GAME QUOTES
Texas Head Coach Karen Aston
"I think tomorrow night is going to be a really tough game. Kansas State is playing really, really good basketball right now. They have a lot of confidence. They had a terrific win against Oklahoma and then followed it up with a good win against their rival [Kansas]. It's a team that gives us some challenges. They have a great player in the paint with Bre Lewis and they have several guards who can shoot the basketball. It will be a challenge for our team in a lot of ways but I expect us to be ready to play."
On how she expects her team to respond on Wednesday vs. Kansas State …
"I definitely expect us to play better. Sunday did not look like a Texas team at all. You search for answers sometimes when you don't play your best, but we just didn't look like ourselves. We didn't have the same level of energy or intensity. We didn't defend, rebound or shoot the way that we have. I don't expect everything to completely make a magical turnaround but I anticipate us being motivated."
On honoring the former head coaches, beginning Wednesday with Gail Goestenkors …
"I think it's a terrific idea. The fact that we're able to do this with Gail tomorrow night I think is a tremendous honor for her and for all of us. You want to acknowledge everyone who has been a part of this. The players come first. They're the ones that do all the work on the court, but you also want to make sure that you acknowledge the coaches who were a part of it. I'm really excited to have her back."
On the challenges that Kansas State poses for Texas …
"They have some balance. They're playing really confidently. I think any time that you play a confident basketball team then you kind of have to swat them away. The other part of the way they play is they spread the floor and they allow a post player to be isolated, which has been a problem for us the last couple of games, so I suspect that they will try that again as the last two opponents have. We're going to have to be better because you can't double and triple team a post player and we shouldn't have to. You can't do that with this team because they can really shoot the three. On the flip side of that, they run a lot of different zones and challenge you in a way of just asking you to make good decisions offensively. I feel confident with that. I think we'll shoot the ball better back in the Erwin Center. We're going to have to defend better."
