Texas Longhorns Freshmen Help Hold Off Tennessee in Sweet 16 Win

Described by head coach Vic Schaefer as "Energizer Bunnies," Texas Longhorns freshman Bryanna Preston and Jordan Lee were just that in Saturday's 67-59 win over the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers in the Sweet 16.

Going into their second-round game, Lee and Preston spoke about how the veterans have helped them navigate the challenges of the NCAA Tournament, and their leadership has worked.

Preston scored 12 points and Lee scored 13, providing a much-needed spark for the Longhorns off the bench against a tough and talented Tennessee team. Both of them contributed not just on offense, but on defense as well and earlier in the season Schaefer praised Lee's defensive abilities.

Lee had one steal while Preston grabbed three, both an important piece of forcing 18 turnovers by the Volunteers, something the Longhorns knew would be cruicial going into the game. The pair also helped to slow down the fast-paced offense the Vols are known for and forced bad shots.

Texas Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer celebrates victory with his team as Tennessee Volunteers face off with Texas Longhorns during the Sweet 16 at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, March 29, 2025. Texas Longhorns defeated Tennessee Volunteers 67-59 to advance to the Elite 8. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The always-stout Texas defense held the Volunteers to just 5-19 from behind the arc and 25-66 from the floor. While five three pointers may seem like a lot, the Volunteers are known to let the ball fly, and earlier this season set a school record with 30 made three pointers in a game. In the Vol's first-round win over South Florida, they made 16 threes.

While the freshman stepped up off the bench, the veterans also did their part to earn the win. Sophomore guard Madison Booker struggled to find her shot early, but bounced back to score a game-high 17 points, despite shooting 6-15 from the field. Booker spent some time on the bench due to early fouls, but found her stride late in the game to pull Texas away from Tennessee.

Another veteran who shined was senior forward Taylor Jones. One of the most experienced players in the country, Jones is no stranger to the NCAA tournament stage and scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots.

Preston is learning her assist game from senior point guard Rori Harmon, as the duo combined for seven.

Texas was able to hold off the Volunteers, and is the fourth No. 1 seed to advance to the Elite Eight, its fourth in the last five years. Now, the Longhorns will face TCU, a former Big 12 opponent. The Horned Frogs may be playing in their first Elite Eight ever, but the program is rich with experience, starring senior point guard Hailey Van Lith, who is making her third Elite Eight appearance and seventh-year Sedona Prince.

The Longhorns and the Horned Frogs will tip off to fight for a trip to Tampa on Monday, Mar. 31 at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN.