For a top-tier program in college women’s basketball like Texas, a season-opening game against Fairleigh Dickinson University is an expected win. The question is how much that team will capitalize on its strengths against a lesser opponent.
The Longhorns left fans divided in their Wednesday night victory over the Knights, 85-65.
“You’re going to ask me why? What was the difference?” head coach Vic Schaefer said. “I don’t have an answer other than I got to do better.”
In the first quarter, Texas performed much like how a group of NBA players would against a middle school basketball team. The defense held FDU scoreless for the first five and a half minutes of the period and outrebounded its opponent 14-5.
The second quarter told a different tale.
Texas shot an abysmal 29.4% from the field on 17 shots and had five turnovers, more than it produced in all the other quarters combined.
The Knights actually outscored the Longhorns 19-14 as Schaefer started to shuffle some of his freshmen into the game. The youth of this team was a major concern coming into this season and it was reflected in this game.
“Those kids are going to play,” Schaefer said. “We just need them to play a little bit more (efficiently) and a little better. But you know, I think we’re going to get there, y’all.”
Luckily, Schaefer’s trusted veterans were able to step up to open the season.
As expected, senior forwards Breya Cunningham and Madison Booker were at the forefront of the offense tonight. Cunningham scored the first seven points of the game and finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, her sixth career double-double to go along with Booker’s team-leading 24 points.
However, with national championship aspirations, Texas needs to find a way to produce offensively as a team instead of relying on a couple of individuals as the Longhorns did last year, which ultimately resulted in their downfall.
FDU could be heard cheering and celebrating in the locker room hallway after a game in which they outscored the Longhorns in two of the four quarters, while the energy in Texas’ press conference felt as if they had just lost by double digits.
“We’re gonna have some growing pains,” Schaefer said. “As good as that first quarter was, you know, that second quarter was a complete flip, and the fourth quarter wasn’t as good either.”
On Wednesday night against FDU, it was enough. The lead created in the first quarter was able to hold through the second half, and the Longhorns now start the season 1-0.
However, as Schaefer said earlier this week, winning masks a lot of problems. Fans will feel good about watching a secure victory today, but the team knows it has a much higher potential.
Texas will continue its season at home in the Moody Center this Saturday against Northern Colorado at 7 p.m. CT.
