The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
West Virginia
No. 8 Women's Basketball preview: West Virginia [Feb. 21, 2016]
02.20.2016 | Women's Basketball
Longhorns and Mountaineers meet at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday on FSN.
No. 8/7 Texas Longhorns (23-2, 12-2 Big 12) vs. RV/RV West Virginia Mountaineers (20-7, 9-5 Big 12)
Location: Austin, Texas | Frank Erwin Center (16,540)
Time: Sunday, February 21, 2016 | 12 p.m. CT
TV: FSN (Ron Thulin, Brenda VanLengen) Clearances
Radio: 105.3 FM (Craig Way, Fran Harris)
Tickets | Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Audio
Pre-Game Media Sessions: Karen Aston | Brianna Taylor
AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 8/7 University of Texas women's basketball team plays host to RV/RV West Virginia on Sunday in the Frank Erwin Center. Tip-off is slated for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be televised by FSN.
The Longhorns (23-2, 12-2 Big 12 Conference) have never swept the season series with the Mountaineers since the two teams began playing twice annually starting with the 2012-13 season. West Virginia has never won in Austin, and Texas earned its first win in Morgantown (65-54) earlier this season on Dec. 30.
"I'm excited about Sunday's game," Texas head coach Karen Aston said. "You look at how long this season has been and, all of a sudden, you turn around and it's almost over. We have two more home games in the Erwin Center. I'm just looking forward to the competition and our team having an opportunity to get on a different level. I'm hoping that we get into a different gear."
Sunday marks the annual Shoot for a Cure game. Join us as we celebrate the strength and courage of the countless individuals fighting this terrible disease. Wear PINK to support the cause as we do our part to educate the next generation of young people how early detection can save lives in the fight against breast cancer.
Commemorative 1,000-win posters will be distributed to fans on a first-come, first-serve basis and the first head coach of Texas women's basketball Rod Page will be honored between the first and second quarters. Page accumulated a record of 38-17 during his two seasons (1974-76) leading the program in its first two years of varsity status.
Acrodunk, America's Favorite Dunk Team, will do a 5-minute featured performance at halftime.
Senior Texas center Imani Boyette leads the Longhorns in scoring (12.3 points per game), rebounding (9.4 rebounds per game) and blocked shots (3.32 blocks per game). In conference play only, Boyette averages 12.7 points per game, leads the Big 12 in blocked shots with 4.1 blocks per game and is second in rebounds with 10.2 boards per game.
Sophomore guard Brooke McCarty follows with 11.7 points per game, while sophomore guard Ariel Atkins adds 10.2 points per game. Junior center Kelsey Lang is the team's second-leading rebounder with 5.0 boards per game. Senior guard Celina Rodrigo has dished out a squad-best 99 assists, while junior guard Brianna Taylor has swiped a team-high 36 steals.
West Virginia leads the all-time series between the two teams 5-4, but Texas holds a 3-0 advantage when the game is played in Austin.
West Virginia enters Sunday's game with a 20-7 overall record and a 9-5 overall record in Big 12 Conference play. The Mountaineers have won four of their last five games, including a 63-55 victory against Oklahoma on Wednesday night.
Senior Bria Holmes ranks fourth in the Big 12 Conference (conference games only) averaging 15.7 points per game. On the season, she averages a squad-best 16.6 points per game. The Mountaineers have two of the top-six rebounders in the Big 12 in Arielle Robertson (9.9 rpg) and Lanay Montgomery (7.9 rpg).
QUICK NOTES
- Texas has won the rebounding battle in 22 of 25 games this season. The Longhorns are averaging 42.9 boards per game and are winning the rebound margin by +10.8. Texas ranks 10th 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 30 meeting with Kansas State, McCarty is averaging 13.8 points per game and has made 7-of-16 three-point attempts. She has scored in double figures 15 times this season.
- Texas is just the fifth NCAA Division I women's basketball program to reach 1,000 wins all-time.
- 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 reached 12 conference wins for the first time since the 2004-05 UT team finished 13-3 in Big 12 play.
- The Longhorns have had eight different leading scorers this season over the course of their 25 games.
- All 13 available Texas players have seen action in five games this season.
- Texas travels to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Texas Tech on Wednesday, January 24. Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.
