No. 8 Women's Basketball uses second half rally to down K-State, 58-51

Wednesday, February 17

Austin, Texas

7 p.m.

University of Texas

23-2, 12-2

K-State

16-9, 6-8

Kansas State

Texas

No. 8 Women's Basketball uses second half rally to down K-State, 58-51

02.17.2016 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Senior Brady Sanders posted a season-high 12 points to lead the Longhorns.

By: Kendall Anderson, Texas Media Relations

Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Quotes | Postgame Notes

AUSTIN, Texas— Senior Brady Sanders posted a season-high 12 points and four rebounds as No. 8/7 Texas defeated Kansas State, 58-51, inside the Frank Erwin Center on Wednesday night.

With the victory, the Longhorns (23-2, 12-2 Big 12 Conference) reached their 12th conference win of the season, marking the first time Texas has reached that plateau since the 2004-05 campaign. Texas leads the all-time series against Kansas State, 18-14, and has won five of the last six meetings.

Former Texas women's basketball head coach Gail Goestenkors was honored during the game for her role in helping Texas reach the 1,000-win milestone earlier this season. At Texas, Goestenkors won 102 games, advanced to five NCAA Tournaments in five seasons, and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame last year.

"Tonight was a tough game for us in a lot of ways until we got our blood flowing," Texas head coach Karen Aston said. "I thought the press energized us. I thought some of the subs energized us. The bench was quite honestly the difference in the game, and that is what being a team is about. We have a deep bench that can come in and give us a lift. That is what happened tonight."

Sanders' 12 points came behind a 3-of-6 effort from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the line. Sophomore Ariel Atkins and senior Imani Boyette both totaled 10 points on the game, while senior Empress Davenport led the team with seven rebounds. Senior Celina Rodrigo added a team-high six assists and three steals.

As a team, Texas shot 36.4 percent (20-of-55) from the field and 68 percent (17-of-25) from the line. Kansas State shot 36.5 percent (19-of-52) from the floor and 56.3 percent (9-of-16) at the charity stripe. The Horns outrebounded the Wildcats, 37-35, and outblocked Kansas State, 4-2.

Kansas State (16-9, 6-8 Big 12 Conference) was led by junior Breanna Lewis with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Both teams struggled offensively in the opening minutes, and the score was tied at four after a Wildcat layup at the 3:28 mark. Texas led by as many as four after a Brianna Taylor layup with just under two minutes remaining, but Kansas State responded with the first triple of the game to get within one (8-7). Sanders closed the quarter with two from the line, giving Texas the 10-7 advantage.

The lead changed two times early in the second, but it was the Wildcats who held the 13-12 lead at the 9:03 mark. After over three scoreless minutes on either side, Kansas State extended its margin to three after a Lewis layup with 5:19 left in the half. The Wildcats ended on a 12-6 run to jump out to a 27-18 lead headed into the locker room.

After scoring only 18 in the first half, Texas outscored Kansas State 21-12 in the third quarter. Atkins added eight of the Horns first 10 points, and Texas chipped away at the Wildcat lead until a huge Rodrigo three and layup from junior Kelsey Lang gave Texas its first lead of the half, 37-36, at the 2:16 mark. Kansas State added a triple to regain control, but a Sanders basket tied things at 39 headed into the fourth.

After tying things at 43, the Longhorns tried to regain their footing, but the Wildcats would never let them lead by more than four until sophomore Brooke McCarty drilled two from the charity stripe to make it 56-50 with 37.8 seconds remaining. The contest would end from the line, and one more from Rodrigo closed the game out for Texas, 58-51.

The Horns will remain at home as they host West Virginia on Sunday, Feb. 21. Tip-off is set for noon CT, and the game will be broadcast live on FSN.