A year goes by in the blink of an eye, am I right? It feels like just yesterday that Texas women's basketball was taking on South Carolina for a shot to play the UConn Huskies in the National Championship. Well, Texas women's basketball is back in the Final Four and will take on the UCLA Bruins later tonight for a spot in the National Championship game. Tensions will be high on both sidelines after the opening tip-off.
Texas beat the Bruins in Vegas earlier this season despite a shortened bench. However, fans should know that a lot can change over the course of the season. Texas and UCLA have undergone many changes this season, and the atmosphere will be completely different tonight.
Here are four keys to the game if Texas wants to advance to the championship game.
1. Texas needs to dig in early
Just like how the Longhorns got out to a quick start against the Michigan Wolverines, they need to do the same thing tonight against the Bruins. UCLA is a really disciplined team, and they are completely healthy. UCLA is not going to be the team that lies back and accepts its fate after the first quarter. Texas needs to build an early lead just in case there is one last surge in the fourth quarter by the Bruins.
Texas needs to dig in early and make sure the Bruins don't dictate the game.
2. Have Madison Booker get to the rim
Texas needs to run its offense through Madison Booker tonight. That means making sure that Booker gets the ball when she's in the paint near the rim. It would be really good if the Longhorns were able to get Lauren Betts into foul trouble using Booker cutting to the rim for layups. Booker needs to play on demon time tonight and take over the game however possible. Fans will be interested to see how the Longhorns run the offense through Booker a second time against the Bruins this season.
3. Limit the damage that Lauren Betts does to the Longhorns
There's a reason why Lauren Betts is projected to go high in the WNBA Draft coming up. Her 6'7" height makes it tough for other colleges to match up at the rim. She's averaging 17 points and 8 assists during her final season with the Bruins. I'm sure Betts doesn't want their season to end tonight, just like Rori.
You can expect that Betts will be playing her hardest for a chance to win the National Championship, and Texas needs to limit the damage she does in the paint or else the Longhorns are headed home.
4. Take advantage with Lauren Betts off the floor
The Longhorns have to take advantage of the post when Lauren Betts is on the bench. I'm sure the Longhorns will force her into some foul trouble tonight, and she will be taken out of the game so she doesn't foul out. Texas needs to make its shots when she's off the floor.
I'm 100% sure the Bruins will run their offense through her tonight to take advantage of the height difference against Texas's forwards. It will be another Final Four exit for the Longhorns if they don't capitalize on that situation.