Latest news with #KylaOldacre
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
March Madness schedule: What time does Texas play South Carolina women in Final Four?
The Final Four teams are set for the NCAA Tournament, and Texas women's basketball will play South Carolina for the fourth time this season. In the Selection Sunday broadcast, ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo noted — about a week removed from the SEC tournament — 'when you are playing each other for a third time, the basketball tends to be not the prettiest because the teams know each other so well.' Advertisement The Longhorns are 1-2 against the Gamecocks this season. South Carolina won 67-50 in Columbia on Jan. 12, but Texas earned a 66-62 victory in Austin on Feb. 9. Texas lost in the SEC tournament title game to the Gamecocks. More: NCAA Tournament bracket update: How our women's Final Four predictions look To get to its fourth Final Four in program history, Texas beat No. 16 William & Mary and No. 8 Illinois in the first two rounds before beating Tennessee 67-59 in the Sweet 16 and TCU 58-47 in the Elite Eight. The reigning champion is always favored to repeat. Can Texas fight its way to a national championship game? South Carolina is angling to become the first repeat winner of the women's basketball title since UConn won four straight from 2013-16. Advertisement Here is how to watch Texas play South Carolina in the Final Four: Final Four: When does Texas play South Carolina? Day: Friday Time: 6 p.m. CT Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. More: How Kyla Oldacre and the Texas bench lifted Horns past TCU, into Final Four | Golden Texas vs South Carolina women's basketball: How to watch TV channel: ESPN Livestream: ESPN+, Sling TV, YouTube TV Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Final Four schedule: What time is Texas vs South Carolina?
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Standout freshman UConn's Sarah Strong, South Carolina's Joyce Edwards meet for national title
South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) puts up a shot against Texas forward Kyla Oldacre (00) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) shoots while pressured by Southern California center Clarice Akunwafo, left, during the first half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, March 31, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) puts up shot against Texas forward Kyla Oldacre (00) during the second half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) puts up shot against Texas forward Kyla Oldacre (00) during the second half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) puts up a shot against Texas forward Kyla Oldacre (00) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) shoots while pressured by Southern California center Clarice Akunwafo, left, during the first half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, March 31, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) puts up shot against Texas forward Kyla Oldacre (00) during the second half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Sarah Strong and Joyce Edwards have played against each other since about the eighth grade. They were two of the top girls basketball prospects in the country when they were AAU opponents. They shared co-MVP honors at the 2024 McDonald's All-American Girls Game and crossed paths again on USA Basketball's girls Under-19 team. Advertisement Strong went on to play for Geno Auriemma's UConn Huskies. Edwards went with Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks. The two rising stars will meet again on Sunday, when No. 2 seed UConn faces top-seeded South Carolina in the national championship game in Tampa, Florida. Edwards played at Camden High School in South Carolina and was the 2024 Gatorade National Player of the Year. Strong, who played at Grace Christian School in North Carolina, was the 2024 Naismith High School Player of the Year. Strong remembers one key thing about playing Edwards back then in AAU. 'They had a great team. They beat us,' she said. 'It is what it is.' Advertisement Both are having standout freshman seasons for two storied programs. Strong, the top-ranked player in her recruiting class, is averaging 16.2 points per game for the Huskies — second on the team behind Paige Bueckers' 20 — and leads the team with 8.7 rebounds. The 6-foot-2 forward entered her first NCAA tournament sitting in the top 10 all time among UConn freshmen in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots. Only Maya Moore had done that before. She's also the first Division I freshman with at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, 100 assists, 50 steals and 50 blocked shots since Candace Parker. Advertisement 'Sarah — how do I say this? In the next three years, she might be the best player to come out of UConn,' said South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. "And those are strong words. I know Stewy (Breanna Stewart) won four (national titles). But what she's able to do — stay calm, the IQ — is off the charts. The skill set, off the charts. 'Big play after big play after big play. Such a great complement to an already skilled UConn team. I think she's the piece that puts it all together. She makes it all work.' Strong and Staley also go way back. Strong's mother, Allison Feaster, was teammates with Staley on the WNBA's Charlotte Sting and they remained good friends after their playing days were over. Feaster's kept Staley updated on Strong's basketball growth. The Gamecocks recruited Strong to come to South Carolina, but the young prospect had been in talks with Auriemma's and UConn for a while. Advertisement 'We probably came in a little bit late on Sarah. I think UConn was recruiting her much earlier in the process than we were," Staley said. 'But being a teammate (with Feaster) I thought would actually help us out a little bit more than what it helped us out,' Staley quipped. 'Like, we made history together.' Staley did end up with a key contributor of her own in Edwards, who led a deep and experienced Gamecocks team with 12.7 points per game this season. Edwards had been quiet during the NCAA Tournament despite her stellar freshman campaign, which included a career-high 28 points and five rebounds against Florida in February. She was held to fewer than six points in each game of the tournament before the national semifinal on Friday, when she had 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a steal. Advertisement It was Edwards' fourth career double-double and most rebounds she's had in a game this season. South Carolina improved to 4-0 when she has a double-double. 'I'm happy for Joyce because I know as a young person, you're struggling in the very thing that you love to do," Staley said. "She really works at it. She watches film. She's obsessively working out. So you want people like that to enjoy the fruits of their labor.' Edwards said her teammates rallied around her during her tournament slump. That helped her not get too low, and trust that her breakout game was coming. 'I feel I was more definitive,' Edwards said. 'More open minded. Giving what the game gave me, not overthinking, not second-guessing, just going.' Advertisement ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Texas tops TCU to advance to first Final Four since 2003
Texas tops TCU to advance to first Final Four since 2003 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Texas coach Vic Schaefer first met Madison Booker when Booker was a middle schooler. Even then, he could tell that the future Longhorns wing would be a special talent. On Monday in Birmingham, Booker showed why despite being a sophomore she is already regarded as one of the sport's biggest stars. Advertisement The top-seeded Longhorns' 58-47 Elite Eight victory over No. 2 TCU was far from the prettiest of games, but Booker's trademark mid-range jumper was as picturesque as any aspect of it. Her fadeaway with 2:02 remaining and Texas clinging to a six-point lead was a fitting finishing move. She ended up with a game-high 18 points and six rebounds, playing all but two minutes of the win. Texas is moving on to its first Final Four since 2003. In recent years, the Longhorns had knocked at the door of the final weekend of the NCAA Tournament, having lost in the Elite Eight in three of the last four seasons. Not on Monday, though. Not against their in-state opponent. Texas' 35th victory of the season is also a new program record. TCU had a historic year as well. The Horned Frogs had never made a Sweet 16 before, let alone come within 40 minutes of a Final Four. Their 34 wins are a school record. But against Texas, TCU's elite offense had to grind out every possession. Star guard Hailey Van Lith missed seven of her first eight shots. She finished with 17 points, but had to work for every one of them. The Horned Frogs ended the first half with more turnovers (11) than made field goals (7). And although Texas' offense was similarly slowed at points, Booker and Texas senior guard Rori Harmon, having scored 13 points, helped the Longhorns do just enough. That's all that matters at this time in March. Advertisement A 6-0 Texas run late in the third quarter stretched the Longhorns' lead to nine. It grew to 14 in the fourth quarter. Although TCU made a late charge, Booker helped stunt the Horned Frogs' comeback. Texas is marching on to face top-seeded South Carolina on Friday night as a result. Kyla Oldacre the latest X-factor off the bench for Texas On Saturday, the spark off the bench was freshman Bryanna Preston, on Monday it was junior post Kyla Oldacre. She played just two minutes in the first half after picking up two quick fouls, but was a difference maker in the second half. Her size helped limit TCU standout Sedona Prince, who had trouble moving her off the block and getting position in the post. Prince finished with just four points on 1-of-4 shooting and nine rebounds. But it was the boost on the offensive end that Oldacre provided that sent Texas to the Final Four. Advertisement Oldacre came into the game averaging nine points and shooting just five shots a game. She found her touch early with a nice move to get around Prince and finished at the basket and never slowed down from there. She finished with nine points, five rebounds, two steals and one block in the game. As good as Texas' stars are, it got a boost from the bench in the Sweet 16 from Preston and on Monday got another from Oldacre. — TCU turnovers doom historic season for the Horned Frogs TCU came into Monday's game as one of the best teams in the country when it comes to taking care of the ball. Led by Van Lith, the Horned Frogs were averaging just 12 turnovers a game, a top-20 mark in the country. Texas, though, pressured TCU all game and the Horned Frogs had no answer. They struggled getting the ball inbounded after a Texas basket and were called for three 5-second violations. Even when they got the ball in, they struggled and were called for a 10-second violation. Advertisement TCU finished the game with 21 turnovers and just 12 made field goals. Those turnovers hurt what was largely a good defensive performance against the Longhorns, but they couldn't turn those chances into points. — This article originally appeared in The Athletic. TCU Horned Frogs, Texas Longhorns, Women's College Basketball, Women's NCAA Tournament 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Texas and Tennessee play in the Sweet 16
Tennessee Volunteers (24-9, 9-9 SEC) vs. Texas Longhorns (33-3, 17-2 SEC) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Longhorns -7.5; over/under is 154.5 BOTTOM LINE: No. 5 Texas faces No. 20 Tennessee in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. The Longhorns are 17-2 against SEC opponents and 16-1 in non-conference play. Texas ranks seventh in college basketball with 13.7 offensive rebounds per game led by Kyla Oldacre averaging 3.1 offensive boards. The Volunteers' record in SEC play is 9-9. Tennessee scores 87.5 points and has outscored opponents by 17.3 points per game. Texas scores 79.3 points, 9.1 more per game than the 70.2 Tennessee gives up. Tennessee averages 10.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 6.5 more made shots on average than the 3.7 per game Texas gives up. The teams meet for the second time this season. The Longhorns won 80-76 in the last matchup on Jan. 24. Madison Booker led the Longhorns with 26 points, and Ruby Whitehorn led the Volunteers with 21 points. TOP PERFORMERS: Booker is scoring 16.4 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Longhorns. Taylor Jones is averaging 12.0 points and 7.4 rebounds over the last 10 games. Jewel Spear averages 2.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Volunteers, scoring 12.8 points while shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc. Talaysia Cooper is shooting 42.8% and averaging 15.3 points over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Longhorns: 9-1, averaging 67.0 points, 35.8 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 8.3 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 41.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 52.8 points per game. Volunteers: 7-3, averaging 81.6 points, 33.7 rebounds, 15.2 assists, 9.8 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.8 points. ___
Associated Press
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Texas Longhorns and LSU Tigers play in SEC Tournament
Greenville, South Carolina; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: No. 1 Texas plays No. 9 LSU in the SEC Tournament. The Longhorns have gone 16-1 against SEC opponents, with a 14-1 record in non-conference play. Texas ranks seventh in college basketball with 14.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Kyla Oldacre averaging 3.2 offensive boards. The Tigers are 13-4 in SEC play. LSU is fifth in college basketball scoring 85.6 points per game while shooting 45.9%. Texas scores 80.7 points, 14.7 more per game than the 66.0 LSU gives up. LSU averages 29.7 more points per game (85.6) than Texas allows to opponents (55.9). The teams did not play each other during the regular season. TOP PERFORMERS: Rori Harmon is averaging 9.3 points, 6.2 assists and 2.3 steals for the Longhorns. Madison Booker is averaging 16.0 points over the last 10 games. Mikaylah Williams is shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc with 1.8 made 3-pointers per game for the Tigers, while averaging 17.4 points and 3.4 assists. Aneesah Morrow is shooting 42.6% and averaging 17.3 points over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Longhorns: 10-0, averaging 69.2 points, 34.4 rebounds, 16.8 assists, 8.3 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 54.5 points per game. Tigers: 7-3, averaging 80.6 points, 36.4 rebounds, 14.8 assists, 8.7 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 42.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.0 points. ___
