Texas women's basketball shows grit in victory over No. 3 UCLA

The No. 4 Texas Longhorns delivered a statement win on Wednesday afternoon, defeating No. 3 UCLA in Las Vegas behind a smothering defensive performance and a fourth-quarter takeover from star point guard Rori Harmon.

Harmon finished with 26 points, three rebounds, five assists and a steal. Additionally, she was 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, marking her first two makes from deep this season.

Playing with only a seven-player rotation and down three key contributors due to injury, the Longhorns built a 20-point halftime lead and survived a late UCLA surge to secure the early-season ranked victory. Head coach Vic Schaefer expressed pride in his team’s effort and resilience.

“I don’t know that there’s enough words to express how proud I am of my team…,” Schaefer said. “Our defense in the first half was pretty special. Kids played their guts out, played so hard.”

Texas forced UCLA into 20 turnovers and limited All-American post Lauren Betts to just eight points – far below her typical production of 15 points per game. Schaefer credited the Longhorns’ perimeter pressure for disrupting entries to the post and keeping UCLA’s offense operating away from the rim.

“It starts with our guards,” he said. “It’s hard to feed the post when you’re running your offense 30 feet from the rim. I thought our guards did a great job. That’s what a great team does and I’m awfully proud of them.”

On the other end, Madison Booker found early rhythm, going 6-for-11 and controlling tempo in the first half. Jordan Lee added timely shooting and led the team in steals, but it was Harmon who closed. 

“Down the stretch, Rori showed why she’s the best point guard in the country,” Schaefer said. “She wanted the ball… she was really special.”

The win showcased Texas’ grit. Booker and Harmon both played 40 minutes, and Lee came out for just one minute. For Schaefer, the performance solidified the Longhorns’ sky-high ceiling.

“To be up 20 on the number three team in the country at halftime – that’s hard to do…,” he said. “These kids answered the bell… It’s a great win, but it’s November. We’re not getting too fired up.”

Texas plays again Thursday, with Schaefer joking that he planned to get his players “in a cold tub up to their ears” to recover. They’ll face the South Carolina Gamecocks, who took down Duke in the first round of the Players Era event in Las Vegas.