The Texas Longhorns women's basketball team slammed the Drexel Dragons with the force of a sledgehammer in Friday's NCAA tournament opener at Moody Center, cruising to an 82-42 victory. The Longhorns, seizing control from the outset, shot a scorching six-for-six to quickly establish that this game was going to be a one-sided affair.
Despite dealing with illness the night before the game, DeYona Gaston decided to aggressively play through and give the Longhorns the quality minutes they needed. "I didn't sleep much but wanted to gut it out," she said, according to a KXAN report. Gaston, along with Taylor Jones and Aaliyah Moore, dominated the paint combining for 39 points and powering Texas to a towering 44 points in that area alone. Not to be left behind was Shaylee Gonzales, who torched Drexel from beyond the arc, turning in a perfect 5-for-5 on 3-pointers up to that point in the game.
YouTube highlights uploaded by the NCAA underscored the Longhorns' absolute supremacy, showcasing a relentless full-court press that forced 21 Drexel turnovers, which Texas eagerly converted into 28 points. The game's momentum showed no signs of slowing as Madison Booker distributed 14 assists, the most by any Texas player in an NCAA tournament game. Footage from the match further displayed the comprehensive excellence of the team, as Gonzales affirmed her shooting prowess, "I just kept telling myself to keep shooting and let it fly,".
Looking ahead, Texas is now set to face No. 8 seed Alabama, who edged out Florida State 82-74, in what's shaping up to be another high-stakes showdown on Sunday. Their dominant opening-round performance sends a clear message that the Longhorns have their sights firmly set on advancing further into March Madness. As head coach Vic Schaefer aptly put it in the KXAN interview, "We had a lot of rust tonight to start, but our third quarter was really good." If the Longhorns continue to rapidly shake off any residual rust and execute with the same kind of clinical precision shown against Drexel, they will certainly be a tough out for any opponent.
The path ahead for Texas is clear: keep sharpening their game and maintain their physical dominance on the court. With players like Shaylee Gonzales heating up at the right moment, the Longhorns have every reason to believe they can blaze through their part of the bracket and stampede down the road to the title. As the NCAA tournament unfolds, Texas' performance has surely set the bar high, not just for their future opponents, but for the standard of excellence in the competition.
