Texas GAMEDAY vs. Stanford: How to Watch, Odds, Preview
The Texas Longhorns are in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Tournament, preparing to face the defending national champion Stanford Cardinal on Sunday.
Texas (29-6) is a No. 2 seed in the Spokane Region, making its second straight Elite Eight appearance under coach Vic Schaefer. Texas is riding a 14-game winning streak entering the contest, which dates back to early February, right after the Longhorns lost back-to-back games to Baylor.
Texas is the only Big 12 team left in the tournament after Iowa State’s loss to Creighton on Friday.
Texas and Stanford (31-3) played earlier this season, a game Texas won, 61-56, at Stanford on Nov. 14. It was the second game of the season for both teams. That day, Texas guard Rori Harmon had 21 points and guard Aliyah Matharu had 17 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from the 3-point line, which helped put Texas in the driver’s seat.
Texas found itself outrebounded that day, 37-28, but Texas held Stanford to 4-of-27 shooting from the 3-point line. Lexie Hull did have a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Guard Haley Jones also had 15 points. But forward Cameron Brink didn’t have an impact on the game, finishing with seven points and five rebounds in 21 minutes.
Stanford, like Texas, is on a hot streak. The Cardinal has won 23 games since a loss in December to No. 1 South Carolina. Stanford won the Pac-12 regular season title with an undefeated record and won the Pac-12 Tournament, including a championship win over Utah (73-48), which Texas beat in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last week.
Texas is trying to get back to the Final Four for the first time since 2003. Texas fell to South Carolina in the Elite Eight last season, 62-34.
TEXAS’ LAST GAME: The Longhorns beat Ohio State, 66-63, and senior guard Joanne Allen-Taylor led the way. When freshman guard Rori Harmon fell into foul trouble late in the first quarter, Taylor delivered a 17-point performance, dishing out three assists and coming up with a steal. Harmon played just 22 minutes and Allen-Taylor played 38 minutes. Allen-Taylor was the only returning full-time starter from last year’s Elite Eight run, and she’s been Texas’ steadiest player this season. Allen-Taylor is averaging 11.2 points per game entering Sunday’s game. She’s not the Longhorn’s leading scorer this season. But, like Harmon, she’s a ‘glue’ player that Texas can’t do without when the game comes down to its final minutes. Matharu had 10 points and Lauren Ebo pitched in nine points and eight rebounds.
STANFORD’S LAST GAME: In a word, dominant — even if it doesn’t look that way on paper. Stanford won, 72-66, and Maryland actually outscored Stanford 30-13 in the fourth quarter. The problem was that the Terrapins were down 23 points at the end of the third quarter, the result of Stanford’s incredible defense, as it held Maryland to 36 points through 30 minutes. So Maryland’s frenetic fourth quarter went for naught. Lexie Hull had 19 points and nine rebounds in the win over Maryland. Jones had a double-double — 15 points and 10 rebounds — while Brink added 15 points and eight rebounds.
NOTE: When it comes to women’s college basketball, Texas and Stanford are legendary programs with a combined four national titles. Stanford leads the all-time series, 8-6. Texas has won the last two meetings. There are two previous meetings in the NCAA Tournament. In 1988, Texas beat Stanford, 79-58, in the Sweet 16, held at the Erwin Center. Texas went on to lose to Louisiana Tech in the Elite Eight, and Louisiana Tech went on to win the national championship. In 2017, Stanford returned the favor in the Sweet 16 in Lexington, Ky. Stanford won, 77-66, and then defeated Notre Dame in the Elite Eight. Stanford lost in the national semifinals to South Carolina, which went on to win the national championship over … Mississippi State, then coached by Schaefer.
QUOTABLE: “I think it's really important. You go on a team where you don't have a lot of seniors and I know it's for all of them but all of them are pretty quiet. When Jo(anne Allen-Taylor) says something, it's a statement. You don't have a choice but to listen. She opens her mouth, everybody goes. Her having a good day is like — I don't know. It's important for us. Her energy that she brings. She is very passionate, she is going to play to the end, she is going to give you her best. Doesn't matter what you're doing, she is going to give 1,000 percent and I feel like today she was on. When you're on, why not give her the ball?.” — Texas guard Aliyah Matharu on Allen-Taylor’s game against Ohio State.
RECORDS: No. 2 Texas (29-6) vs. No. 1 Stanford (31-3)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Sunday
LOCATION: Spokane Arena, Spokane, Wash.
TV/RADIO: ESPN, 105.3 FM. Check TexasSports.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game.
ODDS: Available March 27.
NEXT: Should Texas advance, the Longhorns will advance to the Final Four.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
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