The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
23-8, 15-3 (2)
West Virginia
22-10, 8-10 (6)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 14 | 17 | 11 | 20 | 62 |
| Texas | 21 | 5 | 18 | 15 | 59 |
No. 12/14 Women’s Hoops Drops Big 12 Semifinal to West Virginia, 62-59
03.05.2017 | Women's Basketball
The Longhorns hold a 5-5 mark all-time in Big 12 Semifinal action.
Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Notes | Postgame Quotes | Photo Gallery
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Junior Brooke McCarty recorded a team-high 13 points as No. 12/14 Texas Women's Basketball (23-8) fell to West Virginia (22-10) in the semifinal game of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship on Sunday evening.
With the loss, No. 2 seed Texas moves to 24-20 all-time in Big 12 Tournament play. The Longhorns hold a 5-5 mark in semifinal action.
The match marked senior Kelsey Lang's 135th career game, putting her in a tie for fifth place all-time in program history for career games played.
Texas leads the all-time series over No. 6 seed West Virginia, 8-6, and has won five of the last six meetings.
Along with her 13 points, McCarty tied her career-high with seven rebounds. Junior Ariel Atkins totaled 12 points on the night while Lang brought down a team-high eight boards and three blocks.
As a team, Texas shot 33.9 percent (19-56) from the field while West Virginia shot at 35.6 percent (21-59). The Longhorns out-rebounded the Mountaineers, 41-35.
West Virginia was led by sophomore Tynice Martin with 29 points.
Atkins, Lang, and McCarty all contributed five points for the Horns in the opening frame. After Texas jumped out on a 12-4 spread, West Virginia notched two triples cut the lead to as little as six. A Lang free throw at the 2:28 mark ended the offense for either side in the first quarter, 21-14 Longhorns.
The Mountaineers limited the Horns to only five points in the second stanza. An 11-3 WVU run capped with a jumper at the 3:21 mark tied things at 24 apiece, and West Virginia went out to close with a 6-1 spurt to hold the 31-26 advantage at the half.
Texas managed an 8-2 run to regain control of the lead by a slim 34-33 margin at the media timeout of the third quarter. West Virginia found their footing with three treys to take the lead with 1:43 on the clock, but freshman Joyner Holmes ended the quarter with a three-point play of her own in favor of the Horns, 44-42.
In a final frame that featured five lead changes, it was the Mountaineers who came out on top. After going ahead by two (53-51) after a three-point conversion with 4:45 remaining in regulation, West Virginia never trailed to claim the game, 62-59.
Up next, Texas will await its fate in the NCAA tournament. The selection show is set for Monday, March 13 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Longhorns are expected to make their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
