Will Texas Longhorns' Paint Dominance Overwhelm Iowa State Cyclones?
The Texas Longhorns, ranked 5th nationally, secured a hard-fought victory over the 16th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats with a final score of 71-64. The Longhorns now boast an impressive record, while the Wildcats' record reflects their valiant effort despite the loss.
The game at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City was marked by intense competition and pivotal moments that kept fans on the edge of their seats. The Longhorns established an early lead in the first quarter with a commanding 24 points compared to the Wildcats' 14. Although outscored in the second quarter by two points, they maintained their advantage heading into halftime.
The third quarter saw both teams neck and neck with only one point difference in scoring, but it was in the fourth where Texas sealed their win matching Kansas State's 20 points to maintain their lead. The home team's offense was firing on all cylinders as they shot at a consistent rate from both inside and outside the arc, finishing with a field goal percentage of 47 percent.
Texas also excelled at free throws making an outstanding 87 percent of their attempts which contributed significantly to maintaining their lead throughout the game. Their defensive efforts were equally notable; they managed to block three shots and matched Kansas State's six steals.
A key factor for Texas was its dominance inside; they scored half of their total points in paint and outrebounded Kansas State by two rebounds overall. Their offensive rebounding provided them with crucial second-chance opportunities leading to twelve additional points.
On defense, Texas showed resilience despite committing one more personal foul than Kansas State who had eighteen fouls against them during playtime. However, this did not deter them as they effectively capitalized on turnovers scoring fifteen points off those committed by Kansas State who turned over possession seventeen times.
Kansas State put up a strong fight throughout all four quarters demonstrating sharp shooting especially from two-point range where they achieved a solid fifty-five percent success rate. They also distributed well across teammates racking up eighteen assists but ultimately fell short against Texas’ robust gameplay.
Looking ahead after this semifinal victory for Texas Longhorns is another challenge as they prepare to face off against Iowa State Cyclones back at T-Mobile Center on March 12th at 8:00 PM local time (Central Time). Fans eager to support can tune into ESPN2 for live coverage of what promises to be another exciting matchup as part of women’s college basketball action.