The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
No. 11/12 Women’s Basketball preview: at Kansas State
02.22.2022 | Women's Basketball
The Longhorns travel to the Little Apple for a clash with the Wildcats (6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+)
Game 26: #11/12 Texas (19-6, 9-5 Big 12) vs Kansas State (18-8, 8-6 Big 12)
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2022 – 6:30 p.m. Central
Bramlage Coliseum (12,240) – Manhattan, Kan.
GameDay Quick Facts:
• TELEVISION: The game will be televised nationally on ESPN+. Brian Smoller (pxp) and Missy Heidrick (analyst) will call the action.
• RADIO: 105.3 The Bat broadcasts every UT game on the statewide network. David Garrett (pxp) and Kathy Harston (analyst) will call the action. Check TexasSports.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game.
• SERIES: Texas leads, 26-17. Last meeting: Texas 66-48 (Jan. 26 , 2022; Austin).
Notables:
LEADING IN: The No. 11/12 Texas Women's Basketball team will gear up for another road trip this week as they travel to Manhattan, Kan., to square off with Kansas State Wednesday evening (6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+) inside the Wildcats' Bramlage Coliseum. The Longhorns are riding a four-game win streak entering Wednesday's tilt and went 2-0 last week with a dominant 73-48 victory over No. 6/5 Iowa State at home last Wednesday followed by a 67-58 triumph over West Virginia on the road on Sunday. The Wildcats are coming off of a 56-38 victory at Oklahoma State on Sunday.
THE SERIES: Texas and K-State will meet for the 45th time overall on Wednesday. The Longhorns own a 26-17 advantage over the Wildcats in the all-time series and are 7-3 in their last 10 meetings. Texas took down K-State 66-48 at home in their first meeting of the season (Jan. 26).
RED HOT RORI: Freshman point guard Rori caught fire this past week as she turned in a dominant two-game stretch in the victories over Iowa State and West Virginia. She averaged a team-best 19.5 points while shooting at a sparkling 55.6 percent (15-of-27) mark from the field. Harmon also led the team on the glass averaging 7.0 rebounds for the week to go along with 16 total assists and nine steals.
On Monday, Harmon was named ESPNW Player of the Week along with Big 12 Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season.
THE SCHAEFER FORMULA: Longhorn head coach Vic Schaefer makes no secret in the way his teams have found success over the years. Relentless full court defensive pressure, attention to detail, and limiting turnovers and mistakes have been built in to the identity of his programs. The 2021-22 Longhorns are no different ranking among the best in the country in several defensive categories. UT currently ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 35 in the NCAA holding opponents to just 56.6 points per game. They also lead the league and rank No. 11 nationally in turnovers forced at 22.0 per contest and rank No. 5 in turnover margin at 6.92.
HITTING THEIR STRIDE: After dropping three-straight games from Jan. 29 – Feb.6 , the Longhorns have righted the ship as they've won four in a row and are playing some of their best basketball of the season down the stretch run of the regular season. UT has outscored their opponents, 279-225, during the four-game stretch allowing an average of just 56.3 points per game.
With four games remaining in the Big 12 regular season schedule, the Longhorns sit in a tie for fourth place in the league standings with Oklahoma at 9-5. Kansas is a game ahead in the standings at 10-4 while Iowa State and Baylor share the league lead at 11-3.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS: Kansas State has enjoyed a successful 2021-22 campaign behind and exciting roster that features one of the best players in the country in center Ayoka Lee and a supporting cast of young talent at the perimeter positions. The Wildcats currently sit one game behind the Longhorns in the league standings with an 8-6 mark on the season.
Lee paces the team offensively, leads the Big 12 and ranks No.5 in the NCAA in scoring at 23.5 points per game and tops the league and ranks No.14 in the country in field goal percentage shooting it at a 56.9 percent clip. Lee also paces the team and ranks No.2 in the Big 12 in rebounding bring down 10.5 boards per contest. Freshman guards Serena Sundell and Brylee Glenn follow Lee in offensive production for the Wildcats, averaging 9.4 and 8.5 points, respectively.
NEXT: Following Wednesday's matchup in Manhattan, Texas will return home on Saturday, Feb. 26, to host TCU. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. CT and will air nationally on Longhorn Network.
