Texas women's basketball advances to Elite 8 after beating Gonzaga
Texas Women's Basketball took on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Sweet 16 for a chance to play NC State in the Elite Eight. Both teams went back and forth before Longhorns guards Shay Holle and Shaylee Gonzales led the Longhorns to a 69-47 win over the Bulldogs.
By Brian Sweet
Texas Women's basketball took on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Sweet 16 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Both teams got off to a slow start in the first quarter. It wasn't until Longhorns Senior guards Shaylee Gonzales and Shay Holle started making three-pointers in the first quarter.
Texas had a 19-point lead at halftime and never looked back. The Longhorns advance to the Elite Eight behind a 69-47 win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Here are the three takeaways from tonight's victory against the Bulldogs.
3 more wins 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/HxwAhBpFD6
— Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) March 30, 2024
Texas Women's Basketball vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs: 3. Holding their best players to under ten points in the first half
The Longhorns kept Gonzaga's three best players to under ten points in the first half, which is a big deal. Kaylynne Truong was held to one three-pointer in the first half. She made 57 percent of her three-point shots against the Utah Utes during the second round.
Bulldogs Senior guard Brynna Maxwell was held to six points, along with Senior forward Yvonne Ejim. This proves the Longhorns' defense can take a team out of the game by shutting down their best players.
Texas Women's Basketball vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs: 2. Shay Holle and Shaylee Gonzales to the rescue
When the Bulldogs shut down Freshman forward Madison Booker in the first half, Holle and Gonzales stepped up in the first half by providing offense. Holle was two for two, and Gonzales was two for four from beyond the arc in the first half. It jumpstarted the Longhorns' offense and got them to a 19-point lead at halftime. The Longhorns have a variety of scorers that can cause damage when you least expect it.
.@shayleegonzales draining threes like nobody's business 🔥#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @TexasWBB pic.twitter.com/mYnCVsJZVM
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 30, 2024
Texas Women's Basketball vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs: 1. Dominating the boards
The Longhorns kept the Bulldogs out of the game by dominating the boards. With two of the Bulldog's top scorers liking to attack the rim, the Longhorns won the rebound battle 39-25. That was a big task going into tonight's game, and the Longhorns succeeded with flying colors. Rebounding will be important in the Elite Eight as they take on the NC State Wolfpack on Sunday.
Other UT women's basketball stories on Hook'em Headlines
feed