No. 3 Texas Longhorns' Vic Schaefer Previews Upcoming Matchup With No. 5 LSU

As Texas gears up for its third-straight top-10 matchup, Longhorns' head coach Vic Schaefer breaks down the LSU Tigers

Texas Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer celebrates with his team after Texas beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 66-62 at home in Austin at the Moody Center, Feb. 9, 2025. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AUSTIN - About 12 hours after landing in Austin after beating No. 8 Kentucky, No. 3 Texas Longhorns' head coach Vic Schaefer spoke to the media ahead of his team's next matchup, the No. 5 LSU Tigers.

Just one week after beating South Carolina, the Longhorns are back in the Moody Center to face another top-five opponent in LSU. A high-scoring team, the Longhorns will have their work cut out for them against the Tigers.

The Tigers will be fresh off their bye week, something the Longhorns are yet to have, but Schaefer isn't too worried about the high-scoring LSU offense. On average, the Tigers score over 80 points in conference play and made history earlier this year when they beat Oklahoma 107-100 in the first SEC game where both opponents scored 100 points.

"We run into that every night, Kentucky averaged, you know, 77, 78, the other night, Vanderbilt was averaging 80 something, South Carolina's averaging 80s something," Schaefer said.
"We run into really good offensive teams just about every night in this league but the thing again, they're averaging 80 in the conference against really good teams."

Texas Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer embraces guard Rori Harmon (3) after Texas beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 66-62 at home in Austin at the Moody Center, Feb. 9, 2025. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In Texas' previous three ranked wins, they held their opponent to far less than their season averages in points scored. The Longhorns are known for their suffocating defense, something that will have to be a factor on Sunday to match up with the stars of LSU.

LSU has three players that average 17 or more points, with Fla'Je Johnson, Anessa Morrow and Mikaylah Williams leading the Tigers' offensive charge. With Johnson and point guard and Morrow there to rebound the ball, LSU is a complete team.

Schaefer knows the type of talent that Jonhson has, as he recruited her in her high school days and has now seen her improvement.

"The thing that impresses me about her is she just really improved or shotmaking ability or range, uh her ability to shoot the three is way improved," Schaefer said. "That kid's really improved overall. 
Both are mid-range and of course, she's just so good off the bounce, quick to the rim, makes you miss. So she's a she's she's developed into an all-three-level player. And again, just plays with relentless effort."

Not only has Schaefer seen her growth off the court, he knows what it took for her to get there. He credited her for working on her game when nobody's looking, something that he says not everyone has the guts or will to do.

While Texas will have its work cut out for it, only time will tell if Schaefer's Longhorns are up to the task. Playing their third top-10 opponent in seven days, Texas will have to show how strong it really is to get the win against the tough Tigers.

The game will tip of at 2 p.m. on ESPN and will be the second-straight top-five matchup in the Moody Center.

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