The Texas women’s basketball team, led by center Imani Boyette, continues to keep its undefeated season alive.
The Longhorns beat Iowa State at home Wednesday, 75-54, and Oklahoma State in Stillwater on Saturday, 78-48. Against the Cyclones, Texas scored 11 three-pointers, with sophomore guard Brooke McCarty leading the way with five. Boyette grabbed a season-high 17 boards. Against the Cowboys, freshman forward Jordan Hosey scored a career-high 12 points. The Longhorns’ victory in Stillwater marked a first for Texas since 2009. The Horns now own a 15-0 overall record and a 4-0 record in Big 12 play.
Boyette earned Big 12 Conference Player of the Week honors for the second straight week after posting a double-double against Iowa State and Oklahoma State. The Texas center is the only player with a double-double in each conference game of the season so far. Boyette averages 12.7 points per game, 9.7 rebounds and 3.1 blocks. Against the Cyclones, Boyette recorded a season-best in blocks with seven to go with 11 points and 17 rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Against the Cowboys, Boyette joined her teammate Hosey with a team-high 12 points. Boyette also grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked four shots. Overall, Boyette has recorded eight double-doubles on the season.
Up next for No. 4/4 Texas is Kansas at Allen Field House tonight. The Jayhawks are winless in Big 12 play and own a 5-10 overall record. Kansas isn’t a foreigner to facing ranked teams though – Texas will be the Jayhawks’ third ranked opponent in five games.
The Jayhawks opened Big 12 play with then-No. 18 Oklahoma. Despite the 67-44 loss for Kansas, the Jayhawks’ bench scored 23 points, outscoring Oklahoma’s bench by eight. On Jan. 6, Kansas faced No. 6 Baylor. Kansas held the Bears to 58 points, Baylor’s second-lowest scoring performance of the season, but still lost 58-40.
The Jayhawks are without a single senior on their team. Sophomore guard Lauren Aldridge leads the way for Kansas in scoring with an average of 11.4 points per game. Aldridge has recorded double-figures in 11 of the 15 Jayhawks games this season. Junior forward Caelynn Manning-Allen leads the Jayhawks defensive attack, averaging 6.4 rebounds per game and 1.7 blocks. These two will look to stop Kansas six-game losing streak against the Longhorns.
Texas is 5-0 in its last five games against the Jayhawks and 6-3 overall in the last five years. The Longhorns are rapidly approaching 1,000 program wins – a win against Kansas would put Texas three games shy of that mark.
