Women's Basketball Game Preview: Texas vs. West Virginia

The No. 5/6 Texas women’s basketball team looks to extend its undefeated streak into Big 12 play.

The Longhorns open Big 12 play tonight with West Virginia in Morgantown. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT.

Texas finished non-conference play undefeated, 11-0. This marks the first time in school history for the Longhorns to finish back-to-back regular season non-conference schedules undefeated.

“I think you always have to be pleased when you have a team that can go an extended amount of time without a loss,” Texas head coach Karen Aston said after Sunday’s win against Sam Houston State. “We were able to go through some really tough games, through some on the road and withstand the different environments and be able to win.”

Texas faced three Top 25 opponents: Tennessee, Mississippi State and Stanford. The Longhorns also beat Arkansas in the Big 12-SEC Challenge in Oklahoma City.

West Virginia finished its regular season non-conference schedule 11-2. The Mountaineer’s two losses came against Gonzaga and the University of Southern California, both games played in Spokane, Washington.

The secret to West Virginia’s wins appears to be its defense. The Mountaineers are holding their opponents to an average of 56.3 points per game. In their losses, they gave up 62 points to Gonzaga and 78 points to USC in overtime. The Mountaineers are holding their opponents to a 37.2 field goal percentage, ranking second in the Big 12.

On the offensive side, West Virginia scores an average of 74.7 points per game. Senior guard Bria Holmes leads the Mountaineers in scoring, averaging 17.5 points per game.

The Longhorns are averaging 74.6 points per game. Sophomore guard Brooke McCarty leads the team with 12.1 points per game with senior center Imani Boyette right behind her with 11.7 points per game. Texas’ defense gives up an average of 51.9 points per game, ranking them second in the league in scoring defense.

The key to the Longhorns success so far appears to be their ability to rebound. Texas has out rebounded 10 of its 11 opponents this season, averaging 44.2 rebounds per game. The Longhorns rank eighth nationally in rebounding with Boyette leading the team, averaging 8.5 rebounds per game.

Boyette’s rebounding will be put to the test against West Virginia. The Mountaineers junior center Lanay Montgomery averages 9.3 rebounds per game. Boyette owns a height advantage on Montgomery though. Montgomery stands 6 feet 5 inches tall, and Boyette stands 6 feet 7 inches tall.

“This will be an ugly game,” said Aston. “Any time the two of us play against each other, it is usually pretty ugly, so it boils down to the little things – hustle plays, extra possessions, offensive rebounds and then I think the foul line will be a big factor.”

The return of sophomore guard Ariel Atkins is a huge bonus for Texas. Atkins played 19 minutes of the Sam Houston State game, marking her second game of the season. She scored 12 points and grabbed four rebounds. Atkins missed the beginning of the season due to ankle surgery. In the 2014-15 season, Atkins played in 27 games with 19 starts and averaged 23.9 minutes per game. She led the team in scoring during Big 12 play with an average of 10.4 points per game.

“It’s huge when you know you have production that will come off the bench,” Aston said about Atkins and her return to play after the Sam Houston State game.

The Longhorns will look for a first tonight against the Mountaineers – a win. Texas has not won a game in Morgantown, and the Mountaineers hold the all-time record between the two schools at 5-3.