Texas Beats Kentucky, But Vic Schaefer Still Isn't Satisfied

Head coach Vic Schaefer and the No. 4 Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team conquered yet another ranked opponent on Monday, taking the No. 18 Kentucky Wildcats down by 11 points at the Moody Center.

This is now their fifth straight conference win and third consecutive win against a ranked component.

However, despite the victory, Schafer expressed frustration in the product his team put forth throughout the matchup.

Schaefer looking for better execution

Feb 9, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer reacts during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Texas was successful enough to claim the win against Kentucky, but execution wasn’t up to Schaefer’s standards.

“I obviously didn’t have my team ready to play,” he said. “Really disappointed in myself, just did a really poor job getting them ready. We didn’t have a great shoot around today, and it was evident in how we play tonight.”

His team did turn the ball over 16 times against the Wildcats, along with finding themselves in a bit of foul trouble and being outrebounded on their home court. The Longhorns seemed to lack a bit of composure at times, making this win one that certainly wasn’t always pretty.

That being said, wins in this conference don’t come easy, a fact recognized even by Schaefer.

“We made enough plays tonight to win the game on an ugly night,” he said. “They don’t ever write on the scorecard ugly par, and they won’t write that down tonight on the win.”

The Longhorns have moved to 8-2 in conference play, rallying around one younger player to help them get the job done.

Justice Carlton comes up big

Feb 9, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Justice Carlton (11) looks to pass during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

In what is seeming to become a pattern, forward Justice Carlton came through for her team in a critical way. The sophomore led her team in scoring against the Wildcats, recording 17 points and three rebounds.

“If it wasn’t for Justice Carlton, we don’t win the game,” Schaefer said.

Carlton has been a key contributor for the Longhorns in several matchups now, particularly against the Oklahoma Sooners just over a week ago. In that game, she scored 16 points, with forward Madison Booker and her leading the charge offensively.

“I said this a couple games ago, like, when she has that look in her eyes, I know that she’s pretty unstoppable,” point guard Rori Harmon said after the Kentucky win. “I really don’t think anybody in our league and in any other league can really guard her honestly.”

For Carlton, opportunities to display her physicality and power are where she said she feels most comfortable.

“I think the SEC is a tough league, and I think it’s kind of where I thrive,” she said. “I like the physicality. Coach talks to us a lot about coming out in the first five minutes and punching first, and I think that’s something that I really try to embody.”

Having scored 12 points in the first quarter alone, it seems as though Carlton successfully embodied this initiative.

Next, the Longhorns will travel to Nashville, Tennessee, where they are scheduled to take on the No. 5 Vanderbilt Commodores on Thursday.