Texas women’s basketball kicked off its season Wednesday with an 85-65 win at home against Fairleigh Dickinson, but don’t let that final score fool you. Head coach Vic Schaefer isn’t pulling any punches, straight up saying after the game, “We are a work in progress and we got a long way to go.” He ain’t wrong, not when you look at the defensive side of things.
Winning, But With Warning Signs
Sure, the Longhorns looked good in moments against the NEC team. Madison Booker was absolutely making it rain, dropping 24 points. The team shot 34-for-75 from the field and forced FDU into 18 turnovers. Plus, how about Breya Cunningham hitting her first ever 3-pointer just 11 seconds into the game? That’s electric! Cunningham herself admitted, “Hopefully, that means I have gained his trust and I can just start shooting it more.” These are the kind of habits Schaefer talked about on Tuesday, habits that need to carry through January, February, and March. But even with the win, Schaefer’s “work in progress” comment hits harder when you dive into what FDU managed to do.
The Perimeter Problem Is Yelling
Here’s the gut-check: Texas allowed a staggering 20 three-pointers against FDU. Twenty! The Knights, as a team, shot 50% from deep, with guard Reese Downey going 5-for-11 herself. Schaefer was blunt post-game, stating, “That’s a real indicator we didn’t play well defensively. Most of them were wide open so we were really struggling defensively with them.” For a team that’s led the SEC in fewest points allowed per game the past two seasons, this is a massive red flag. The loss of Texas Ex Rori Harmon, who Schaefer said “covered so many leaks. She covered so many people’s backs and butts defensively,” is clearly hitting hard. They need someone to step up and match that energy on the perimeter, fast. Bryanna Preston and Zya Vann are two names in the mix, bringing speed and tenacity, and they finished the night with similar stat lines. But there’s a catch: they can overcommit, playing too close and getting beat, which Schaefer confessed led to them “struggling with matchups.” Even Cunningham and Preston picked up early fouls in the third quarter trying to help out. As Schaefer put it at halftime, “if we can’t run faster than the ball can be dribbled, we have a problem.”
This win was just the season opener, and Selection Sunday is still months away. The Longhorns have some serious defensive homework to do, especially on the perimeter, if they want to live up to those “normal selves” expectations. They’ve got to find that next Rori Harmon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply