Following their recent disappointing 16-point upset loss to Vanderbilt less than a week ago, Texas coach Vic Schaefer ripped into his team for “having no heart” and called them the “softest team” he’s had in years. He then challenged his team to respond against another tough opponent in No. 22 ranked Tennessee in what would be a high stakes road SEC match-up. And in Sunday’s game against the Lady Volunteers, Schaefer’s squad did just that.
In a tight game where Texas forced 23 Tennessee turnovers, they walked away with a 65-63 victory. Despite leading the game at one point by 14, it wasn’t the cleanest, most dominant game for the Longhorns. The game could have easily slipped away from Texas and with more time and fewer self inflicted mistakes, the Vols could have came away with the win. But the what-ifs didn’t matter, and Schaefer was more than pleased with how his team fought in the trenches against another historic women’s basketball program.
This is the point of the season where teams need to hit their stride. The margin for error is slim, especially in an elite conference such as the SEC. Texas isn’t the only team that has had to dig deep to find its identity…