The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
West Virginia
No. 24/25 Women’s Basketball holds off West Virginia rally for 69-56 win
02.01.2023 | Women's Basketball
Longhorns outscore West Virginia 21-11 in the fourth quarter to pull away for the victory.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Texas led 48-45 going into the fourth quarter, but outscored West Virginia 21-11 in the final period to claim a 69-56 victory on the road at the WVU Coliseum on Wednesday night.
Sonya Morris scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half and Rori Harmon scored 14 points and added six rebounds, six assists and four steals. Taylor Jones scored 12 points on 6-8 shooting and Shaylee Gonzales tallied 11 points. DeYona Gaston scored eight points and grabbed nine rebounds.
After West Virginia cut the Texas lead to three at 48-45, Gaston started the fourth quarter with a basket and converted a free-throw as she was fouled. West Virginia would cut the lead to five at 57-52, but Khadija Faye pulled down an offensive rebound and putback to give Texas a 59-52 advantage with 4:54 to play. The Longhorns turned up the defense in the final quarter, with Amina Muhammad making a steal to provide momentum for Texas.
Texas converted 10-12 free-throws in the second half to help put the game away down the stretch.
Up next the Longhorns (17-6, 8-2) travel to Lawrence, Kan., to take on Kansas on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 4:00 p.m. CT.
Game Notes
• Texas improves to 15-0 on the season when they hold an opponent to 59 points or less.
• The Longhorns grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and held a 17-5 advantage in second chance points. Texas gave up only four offensive rebounds to West Virginia.
• Texas outrebounded West Virginia 39-25. The Longhorns have outrebounded their opponent 17 times in 23 games and are 14-3 in those 17 games.
• The Longhorns have won four straight conference games and have held their opponents to 59.5 points over those four games.
• The Texas defense held West Virginia to 3-11 (27.3 percent) from the field in the fourth quarter after the Mountaineers shot 10-14 (71.4 percent) in the third quarter.
• Texas held West Virginia to eight points in the second quarter, marking the 16th time this season they have held an opponent to single digits for a quarter.
• The Longhorns forced 18 West Virginia turnovers.
• The Longhorns used a 10-0 in the first quarter to go up 13-2 and force West Virginia to call a timeout.
• Shaylee Gonzales scored 10 points on 4-6 shooting and dished out four assists in the first half. Gonzales scored in double-figures for the 16 time this season and has reached double-digit points in seven straight games.
• Sonya Morris scored 10 points in the third quarter. Morris scored in double-figures for the 16th time this season with her 17 points.
• Rori Harmon reached double-figures in points for the 13th times this season and the fifth straight game. Harmon has tallied five or more assists in 15 of her 18 games this season.
