The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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No. 25 Women’s Basketball drops 66-61 decision to No. 12/13 Texas A&M
12.07.2020 | Women's Basketball
Junior forward/center Charli Collier posted her 19th career double-double (14 pts, 12 rebs) in the loss
AUSTIN, Texas – On Sunday night in a nationally-televised ESPN match-up at the Frank Erwin Center, No. 25 Texas (3-1) fought back from an early 14-point deficit to grab a fourth-quarter lead before eventually succumbing to senior-laden No. 12/13 Texas A&M (4-0) in a rivalry match-up, 66-61.
UT managed to scratch and claw its way to a 54-53 advantage with 7:04 to go in the fourth quarter before a 10-0 Aggie spurt boosted A&M in front, 63-54. The Longhorns refused to quit as five Joanne Allen-Taylor points and a Celeste Taylor bucket drew Texas within two points at 63-61 with 1:55 remaining. Unfortunately for the Burnt Orange & White, that was close as they would get as Texas A&M drained three key free throws over the final stretch to seal the game.
Junior forward/center Charli Collier led the Texas offensive charge with her 19th career double-double, posting a team-high 14 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard/forward Audrey Warren scored 13 points, hit two three-pointers and grabbed six boards, while junior guard Joanne Allen-Taylor finished out the list of three Longhorns in double figures with 12 points, three rebounds and two assists.
It was all Texas A&M in the early going as the Aggies raced out to a 21-7 lead before four consecutive Warren points cut UT's deficit to 21-11 at the end of the opening quarter.
Redshirt sophomore guard Karisma Ortiz finished off a 10-2 Texas run on a three-pointer with 8:37 left in the second as the Longhorns fought within six points at 23-17.
A DeYona Gaston bucket off an Ortiz assist got UT within five before a 6-0 Texas A&M spurt extended the Aggies advantage back to 11 at 32-21 with 5:01 to go in the half. A Collier bucket and five points from freshman guard Ashley Chevalier sent the teams to the break with A&M ahead 34-28.
Out of halftime, the Aggies boosted their advantage to 43-32 before a 12-2 Texas run closed the deficit to 45-44 with 1:59 remaining in the third. During the run, Warren made a bucket, Taylor drained a three, senior guard Kyra Lambert finished off a great pass from Allen-Taylor for a lay-up, Allen Taylor drove for her own deuce and Collier knocked down three FT's.
Allen-Taylor continued to wreak havoc over the next minute as the Houston, Texas, native drove into the lane for a bucket and a foul to knot the contest at 47-all before racing in for another lay-up to pull UT within 50-49 with 54 seconds left in the third.
Entering the fourth quarter down just two points, Warren granted Texas its first lead of the contest with a three-pointer at the 8:48 mark to make it 52-51. UT eventually held a 54-53 advantage after a Warren lay-up before being doomed by Texas A&M's late spurt.
Texas Women's Basketball Postgame Notes
#12/13 Texas A&M 66, #25 Texas 61
December 6, 2020
Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)
Team Notes
- Following tonight's loss to No. 12/13 Texas A&M, the Longhorns lead their series with the Aggies, 62-24. UT is now 29-8 in 37 all-time rivalry meetings in Austin.
- Texas made a season-high seven three-pointers against Texas A&M, led by two each from junior guard/forward Audrey Warren and redshirt sophomore guard Karisma Ortiz.
- Texas A&M was 20-for-26 from the free-throw line, while Texas was just 10-for-17 from the line.
- Entering the night ranked third in NCAA Division I in turnover margin, the Longhorns forced 18 Texas A&M miscues that led to 20 points. UT has now forced 106 total turnovers this season to average a Big 12 Conference-leading 26.5 turnovers-per-game.
- Texas continues to lead the Big 12 Conference in scoring offense (85.25 ppg) and scoring margin (+24.5) after putting up 61 points against the Aggies.
- Collier registered her 19th career double-double, and third of the 2020-21 season, by putting up 14 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to the Aggies.
- Against Texas A&M, Collier played all 40 minutes for the first time in her career.
- Collier needs just six more rebounds (494) to reach 500 in her Longhorns career.
- With 13 points against the Aggies, Warren has now reached double figures in scoring during all four games this season. That's the longest double-figure scoring streak in her career.
- Allen-Taylor reached double figures in scoring for the third straight game with 12 points. That's also the longest double-figure scoring streak of her career.
- Led the Longhorns and just missed her career-high (five) with four blocks against the Aggies.
