The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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No. 25 Women’s Basketball forces 30 turnovers in 84-57 win over LA Tech
12.02.2020 | Women's Basketball
Five Longhorns reached double figures in scoring led by junior forward/center Charli Collier’s 22 points
AUSTIN, Texas – Five Longhorns reached double figures as No. 25 Texas improved to a perfect 3-0 this season behind a commanding 84-57 win over Louisiana Tech (2-1) on Wednesday night at the Frank Erwin Center.
Junior forward/center Charli Collier again led the offensive charge with a team-high 22 points and just missed out on another double-double with eight rebounds. Junior guard/forward Audrey Warren added 19 points while posting new career-highs in field goals (eight), assists (six) and steals (tied her old mark with three).
Also in double figures for the Burnt Orange & White were sophomore guard Celeste Taylor (14 points), junior guard Joanne Allen-Taylor (10 points) and freshman forward DeYona Gaston (10 points).
Having entered the night ranked No. 4 in the country in turnovers forced (29.0 tpg), the Longhorns actually improved on their total by forcing 30 Louisiana Tech miscues that led to 27 opponent points.
Texas jumped in front right from the start against LA Tech, roaring out to a 6-0 advantage before stretching that to 18-5 with 3:26 to go in the first quarter on a Taylor steal and bucket and then an Allen-Taylor fast-break lay-up.
After leading 22-11 at the end of one, the Longhorns continued pulling away during the second stanza. A pair of Gaston free throws and five consecutive Collier tallies boosted UT in front by 16 at 29-13 with 6:59 remaining in the opening half.
The Texas advantage expanded to as much as 21 on a Gaston lay-up with 3:34 to go in the second before the Lady Techsters used a last-second bucket to head into the locker room trailing the Longhorns, 42-24.
Warren took over in the third quarter for the Longhorns as the Fort Worth, Texas, product scored 12 of her 19 total points to help power UT to a 65-41 advantage after three.
With the contest's outcome long decided, Texas boosted its lead to as much as 32 points at 80-48 on a another Gaston bucket before a late 9-4 LA Tech spurt finalized UT's 84-57 victory.
Texas shot 50% from the floor in the contest (33-for-66), dished a season-high 16 assists and added 11 steals.
Texas Women's Basketball Postgame Notes
Louisiana Tech 57, Texas 84
December 2, 2020
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Team Notes
- Texas picked up its fourth all-time win over Louisiana Tech with the Lady Techsters now holding an 8-4 series advantage. UT is now 2-3 against LA Tech in Austin, having won the last two meetings at the Frank Erwin Center.
- With 83 points against LA Tech, the Longhorns have now scored a combined 280 points over their opening three contests of 2020-21. That's the fourth most points scored after three games in program history behind the 2017-18 (315 points), 2010-11 (296 points) and 1978-79 (291 points) squads.
- Texas has now scored at least 42 points in all six halves this season, including 42 apiece in both the first and second halves of action against the Lady Techsters.
- The Longhorns entered tonight ranked fourth in the nation in turnovers forced (29.0 tpg) and actually raised their season total by securing 30 LA Tech turnovers that led to 27 opponent points.
- Texas has had five players reach double-figures in all three of its 2020-21 contests. Tonight against LA Tech, it was Charli Collier (22 points), Audrey Warren (19), Celeste Taylor (14), Joanne Allen-Taylor (10) and DeYona Gaston (10) in double figures.
- Texas is averaging 12.7 steals-per-game this season after grabbing 11 against the Lady Techsters. Celeste Taylor leads the charge with 17 (five against LA Tech).
- Texas has now scored 80-or-more in the first three games of the season for the first time since 2017-18.
- With 22 points against LA Tech, Collier has now scored 20-or-more points in three straight contests for the first time in her career.
- Collier recorded her eighth career game of 20-or-more points and just missed another double-double with eight rebounds.
- Warren's 19 points were her second-most in a single game in her career, trailing only a 21-point effort against Tennessee back on Dec. 9, 2018.
- Warren's eight field goals were a career-high.
- Warren's six assists were a career-high.
- Warren's three steals tied her career high previously done against McNeese State back on Nov. 15, 2018.
- Warren played a career-high 35 minutes against Louisiana Tech.
- Warren has now scored at least 12 points in all three games this season.
- Allen-Taylor played a career-high 34 minutes against Louisiana Tech.
- With 10 points, Allen-Taylor reached double-figures for the second time this season.
- Holle grabbed a career-high four rebounds against the Lady Techsters.
- Holle also scored a career-high four points, dished a career-high two assists and registered her first two career blocked shots.
- Gaston tied her career-high with 10 points versus LA Tech.
- Taylor added five steals against the Lady Techsters to give her a team-leading 17 combined thefts through the first three games, an average of 5.7 steals-per-game.
