The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
UConn
No. 7 Women's Hoops ends Elite Eight season with 86-65 loss to No. 1 UConn
03.28.2016 | Women's Basketball
Texas ends one of the finest seasons in program history with a 31-5 mark.
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BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- To end one of the finest seasons in program history, freshman guard Lashann Higgs and sophomore guard Ariel Atkins each totaled 19 points to lead No. 7/7 Texas in the 86-65 loss to No. 1/1 Connecticut in the NCAA Regional Final inside the Webster Bank Arena on Monday night.
Texas ends the season with a 31-5 record, marking the first time Texas has hit the 31-win plateau since the 1987-88 campaign. In addition, the Horns played in their first Elite Eight game since 2003. Texas holds an all-time record in the NCAA Tournament of 38-28 and are now 3-7 in Regional Final play.
Higgs' 19 points marks her new career-high complemented by four rebounds and two steals. Sophomore guard Brooke McCarty joined Atkins and Higgs in the double figures with 15 points, including four triples on the night. Senior center Imani Boyette and senior forward Empress Davenport led the team with six rebounds apiece, and senior guard Celina Rodrigo totaled seven assists.
As a team, Texas shot 40.6 percent (26-of-64) from the field and 32.0 percent (8-of25) from behind the arc. UConn shot 56.4 percent (31-of-55) from the floor and 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from downtown. The Horns outrebounded the Huskies, 34-29.
UConn (36-0) was led by senior forward Morgan Tuck with 22 points.
After tying things at four, the Huskies went on a 13-2 run to take a 17-6 lead at the 4:23 mark of the first quarter. Atkins went on a roll, netting the next eight points for the Longhorns, to cut the deficit to five with 2:21 on the clock. A McCarty triple made it a one-possession game, but UConn closed with a jumper and one from the line to lead 22-17 headed into the second.
The Huskies extended their lead to 30-21 after a triple from senior forward Breanna Stewart, but two consecutive jumpers from Higgs cut it to five once again with 7:22 remaining in the half. After a scoreless two minutes of play on both sides of the court, UConn went on a 12-1 trek to take a 42-26 advantage at the 2:13 mark. The Horns tried to slash the Huskie lead, and Davenport converted two from the stripe to make it 46-31 UConn at the half.
UConn knocked down two quick treys out of the locker room, and two traded layups later the score was 54-33 in favor of the Huskies. The Longhorns jumped out on a 9-0 spurt, featuring matching triples from Atkins, Davenport, and McCarty, to slice the deficit to 12 (54-42) with 5:33 remaining. UConn closed the third on a 12-5 run, and it was 66-47 Huskies with one quarter to go.
After a Huskie layup, the Longhorns added the next six points of the game to get within 13 (68-53) with 5:54 left in regulation. UConn pushed the margin to as many as 21 points after a three-point conversion at the 3:48 mark, but Rodrigo swiped two steals to give Higgs and McCarty baskets to make the score 78-60 UConn with 2:20 on the clock. Texas found bright spots behind the duo again to end the game, 86-65 Huskies.
