The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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Women’s Basketball advances to Sweet 16
03.25.2021 | Women's Basketball
The Longhorns knocked off No. 3 seed UCLA, 71-62, to advance to the Sweet 16 for the 16th time in program history.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The sixth-seeded Texas Women's Basketball team secured its spot in the Sweet 16 with a 72-61 victory over third-seeded UCLA (No. 9/9) on Monday at the Alamodome. It marks the 16th Sweet 16 appearance for Texas, and the first time UT has reached the regional semifinal round as a No. 6 seed or lower.
The win marks only the third time in Texas history that the Longhorns have won an NCAA Tournament game as the lower-seeded team. UT's previous two victories came in 2003 (No. 2 Texas def. No. 1 LSU) and 1990 (No. 3 Texas def. No. 2 NC State). In addition, the victory secured Texas' 37th 20-win season in school history.
Texas won with defense on Wednesday night, as the Longhorns shut down a potent UCLA offense and held the Bruins to just 14 points in the first half. That tally is tied for UT's best defensive half of season in terms of points allowed. Texas also only allowed Idaho to score 14 points in the first half of a Dec. 9 matchup in Austin. UCLA mustered only eight first-quarter points followed by six more in the second frame against a fired up Texas team.
The first and second quarter marked the 15th and 16th times this season that Texas has held its opponent to less than 10 points in a quarter. Overall, the Longhorns have held their opponents under 10 points in 3-of-8 quarters thus far during the NCAA Tournament.
While the Longhorns were flying around on defense, the shots were also falling on the offensive end.
Celeste Taylor was the brightest flame for the Horns, tying her season high with 24 points on a career-high nine made field goals (9-17 FG, 2-5 3FG, 4-4 FT). Her 24 points are the most by a Longhorn in an NCAA Tournament game since Imani McGee-Stafford also scored 24 points in a first-round matchup vs Western Kentucky in 2015. Taylor also added five rebounds, two assists and one steal on Wednesday.
Behind her, guards Joanne Allen-Taylor and Kyra Lambert chipped in with 33 combined points between the two of them.
Lambert was the high-mark of the backcourt duo, scoring 17 points on 5-of-8 from the floor, while also grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds and dishing out four assists. Lambert's stat-stuffing night marked her second career double-double and her first at Texas. It was also her first career points-rebounds double-double. She was critical for the Longhorns down the stretch as well, going 7-for-10 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to help Texas hang on to its lead.
Allen-Taylor, meanwhile, chipped in with 16 points, two assists and one rebound. She made a team-high three 3-pointers, including one with four minutes and change remaining in regulation that helped extend Texas' lead back to double-digits. Allen-Taylor's 16-point night marked her 22nd game scoring in double figures this season, and the 26th time she has done so in her career.
Texas also got immense production off the bench from Lauren Ebo, who scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds in a 30-minute night. Much of her production came in areas that don't show up on a final stat sheet, with tipped rebounds, charges drawn and extra-effort plays that helped secure the paint for UT. Wednesday was the seventh time this season Ebo has posted a 5-and-5 game in terms of points and rebounds, and the fifth time she has seen at least 30 minutes of action in a game.
The Longhorns will now move on to face No. 2 seed Maryland on Sunday night at the Alamodome. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Texas Women's Basketball Postgame Notes
(6) Texas 72, (3) #9/9 UCLA 61
Alamodome (San Antonio, Texas)
March 24, 2021
Team Notes
• Secured Texas' 16th trip to the Sweet 16, and first in program history as a No. 6 seed or lower.
• The win was UT's third ever as a lower seed in an NCAA Tournament Game (1990 vs. NC State; 2003 vs LSU).
• Was Texas' first win over a top-three seed in the NCAA Tournament since the 2016 Sweet 16, which was also a win over No. 3 UCLA.
• Marked UT's 20th win of the season and secured the program's 37th 20-win season in school history.
• Wednesday marked the fourth matchup between Texas and UCLA in the NCAA Tournament (2-2 record). The Longhorns have faced only Louisiana Tech (six meetings) more frequently in the NCAA Tournament.
• Held UCLA to only eight points in the first quarter, the 15th time this season the Longhorns have held an opponent to less than 10 points in a quarter this season. It was the second such occurrence of the NCAA Tournament thus far (7 points in 1Q vs. Bradley).
• Texas has held its opponents to under 10 points in 3-of-8 quarters thus far during the NCAA Tournament. Overall, the Longhorns have limited opponents to less than 10 points in a quarter on 16 occasions this season.
Joanne Allen-Taylor
• Has started all 29 games this season.
• Scored in double figures for the 26th time in her career, and 22nd time this season.
• Played at least 40 minutes for the seventh time this season.
Charli Collier
• Started her 59th consecutive game, dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season.
• Recorded a plus-17 +/- rating, the best of any Longhorn on the court Wednesday night.
Lauren Ebo
• Played at least 30 minutes for the fifth time this season, and second time in her last three appearances.
• Scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds off the bench to post her seventh 5-and-5 game of the season.
Kyra Lambert
• Started for the 25th consecutive game, dating back to Dec. 9, vs. Idaho.
• Scored in double figures for the sixth time this season and 29th time in her career.
• Grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds.
• Marked her second career double-double and first at Texas.
• Was her first career points-rebounds double-double.
Celeste Taylor
• Logged her 24th start of the season, and 18th consecutive.
• Tied her season-high with 24 points, which marked her fourth 20-point game of the season (sixth of career).
• Tied her career high with nine made field goals (fourth occurrence).
• Played 40 minutes for the fourth time in her career.
• Her 24 points were the most by a Longhorn in an NCAA Tournament game since Imani McGee-Stafford scored 24 points vs. Western Kentucky in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
