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Mountaineers Drop Contest at No. 8 Texas
February 21, 2016 03:27 PM | Women's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas – A series of big runs by No. 8/7-ranked Texas hampered the West Virginia University women’s basketball team in a 73-50 loss on Sunday afternoon at the Frank C. Erwin Center.
The Mountaineers (20-8, 9-6 Big 12) sprinted out to a seven-point lead in the first five minutes of the opening period. However, Texas (24-2, 13-2) used an 18-5 run in the second quarter to take a 42-27 halftime lead. A Bria Holmes layup cut the Longhorn advantage to 12 with 5:56 to go in the quarter. From there, WVU was held scoreless for seven minutes as Texas picked up the series sweep over the Mountaineers.
Freshman Tynice Martin led the Mountaineers with 12 points, while Chania Ray tallied 10 points. Senior Arielle Roberson grabbed 13 rebounds to reach her fifth consecutive game of double-digit rebounds, while blocking three shots and collecting three steals. Bria Holmes netted four assists and six points in the contest. Alexis Brewer, a freshman guard, finished with nine points.
“Texas played well and we didn’t,” said coach Mike Carey. “We didn’t defend the on-ball pick. We let them in the lane, and we weren’t rotating. When we did rotate, they would hit wide open shots. They played harder.”
Offensively, WVU shot 35.3 percent (18-of-51) from the field compared to Texas’ 48.4 percent (31-of-64). West Virginia hit five three-point shots, including two from Martin and Brewer. The Mountaineers committed 21 turnovers that resulted in 24 Longhorn points. UT outscored the Mountaineers 48-16 in the paint. WVU's 50 points were a season low. Brooke McCarty paced Texas with 18 points in the victory.
WVU sprinted out to a four-point start with free throws from Bria Holmes and a Chania Ray fast break layup. The Mountaineers pushed their edge to seven with a Ray three-pointer. UT fought back with an eight-point run to take a 13-12 lead, as WVU remained scoreless for four minutes. Morton’s layup gave West Virginia a 16-15 lead at the end of the quarter.
Brewer nailed a three-pointer in the first minute of the second quarter to give the Mountaineers a 19-17 edge. Imani Boyette’s back-to-back buckets sparked an 18-5 Longhorn run.
Montgomery’s bucket cut the game to seven, but the Longhorns concluded the half on an 11-3 run to take a 42-27 halftime lead.
West Virginia shot 40.9 percent (9-of-22) compared to UT’s 51.3 percent (20-of-39). The Longhorns outscored WVU, 32-10, in the paint. McCarty led UT with 16 points, while Ray tallied eight for the Mountaineers.
A Celina Rodrigo bucket helped Texas extend its lead to 17 early in the third quarter. WVU battled back with a 7-2 run to cut the contest to 12. Texas answered with a 15-point run to push its advantage to 26 and held a 60-36 advantage at the end of three.
Ray’s field goal at the 8:30 mark in the fourth quarter snapped a seven-minute long scoring drought for the Mountaineers. West Virginia outscored Texas, 14-13, in the fourth quarter, as the Longhorns completed the season series sweep.
West Virginia opens a two-game homestand starting with TCU on Wednesday, Feb. 24. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game will air regionally on ROOT SPORTS Pittsburgh. Admission for Wednesday’s contest is $1 courtesy of United Bank.
NOTES: West Virginia falls to 0-4 in Austin, as the series evens at 5-5 … Chania Ray reached double-figures for the second consecutive game with her 10 points on the evening … Arielle Roberson has reached double-figure rebounding in five consecutive games with her 13 boards … Tynice Martin has posted double-figures in three consecutive games with her 12 points ... WVU's 50 points were a season low ... the 23-point loss was the largest margin of defeat for WVU since falling to Baylor by 28 in February 2015.
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