AUSTIN, Texas — Kailey Woolston and Lauren Gustin combined for 33 points as BYU women's basketball fell to No. 3 Texas at the Moody Center on Saturday night, 71-46.
Gustin finished with a game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds to record her 85th career double-double and 29th of the year which leads the country. The senior went 10-of-20 from the floor while also contributing six offensive rebounds and an assist.
Woolston was the only other Cougar to finish in double figures with 13 points on 3-for-5 shooting from downtown. The freshman also pitched in three rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Despite shooting only 34.7 percent from the floor, BYU (16-15; 6-12 Big 12) outrebounded Texas 35-31 and 14-11 on the offensive glass but the Longhorns converted their 11 offensive board
The Texas (27-4; 14-4 Big 12) offense was too much to handle for BYU as the Longhorns had four players finish with 13 or more points including freshman Deyona Gaston who matched Gustin's game-high 20 points on 7-of-12 from the floor. UT shot 46.4 percent from the floor and 17-of-22 from the charity stripe in the 25-point win.
First Quarter
Woolston opened the scoring for the Cougars with a transition top-of-the-key triple to give BYU an early 3-2 lead just 1:30 into the opening quarter. After a pair of free throws for Texas, Kaylee Smiler found a cutting Whiting for two and a 5-4 lead.
With 4:34 to play in the first, Smiler again found Emma Calvert for a kick-out three from straightaway to give BYU an 8-4 lead going to the media timeout.
BYU held the Longhorns scoreless for 4:34 before Madison Booker hit a jumper to end the drought. Two free throws and a bucket by Gustin gave the Cougars a 12-9 lead with 1:34 to go before Texas finished the quarter on a 4-2 run to knot the game at 14.
Second Quarter
Booker scored on the first possession which was countered by a Gustin score off the glass to draw even at 16. A 5-0 run by UT gave the Longhorns a 21-16 lead with 6:32 to play in the half. After BYU broke the full-court press, Davenport found Woolston for a catch-and-shoot three to draw within two at 21-19.
The Longhorns strung together nine-straight points to open a 10-point lead at 29-19 before Woolston knocked down a much-needed left-corner three with four seconds left in the half. Woolston’s third triple of the half sent BYU into the locker room down 29-22.
Third Quarter
Gustin started the scoring for BYU in the third with a face-up jumper from the baseline to cut the Texas lead to five. The Longhorns scored on back-to-back possessions to stretch their lead to nine at 29-24.
With 9:13 to play in the third, Texas’ Aaliyah Moore’s layup sparked a 15-0 run while the Longhorns held the Cougars scoreless for 4:07, in which time, UT extended the lead to 20 at 44-24. Gustin scored the final eight points of the quarter for BYU to stay down 20 entering the final ten minutes.
Fourth Quarter
The Cougars and Longhorns traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter with Texas extending the lead to a game-high 24 with 6:33 to go. BYU scored six-straight points to trim the deficit to 18, but UT scored 11 of the final 15 points to complete a 71-46 win over the Cougars.
Up Next:
The Cougars now set their sights on Kansas City, Missouri, where they will compete in its first Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship. With a conference record of 6-12, BYU earned the 10-seed, a first-round bye and will play in the second round on Friday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. CT.
For more information about the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball visit https://big12sports.com/tournaments/?id=1026&path=wbball.