If there were questions about whether Texas belonged among college basketball’s elite, the Longhorns answered them solidly this week, sweeping past then No. 3 UCLA and then No. 2 South Carolina to capture the Players Era Championship.
Rori Harmon kept turning pressure into proof, and the fourth-ranked Longhorns made a loud early-season statement about where they belong in the women’s college basketball hierarchy.
Texas capped its run with a dramatic 66-64 win over South Carolina on Nov. 27, a night after handing UCLA a 76-65 loss in the semifinals to establish itself as one of the nation’s most complete and battle-tested teams.
Harmon, who had been largely contained scoring-wise by the Gamecocks, dribbled to the left side of the key and buried a 10-foot floater with one second remaining. The senior guard finished with six points and nine assists, becoming Texas’ career assists leader in the process, and was named tournament MVP.
“When it came time for the last shot, it’s always going to be her,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said, calling Harmon the best point guard in the country.
Jordan Lee led the Longhorns with 19 points in the final, while Madison Booker tallied 16 points and nine rebounds. Justice Carlton added 13 for Texas. South Carolina, which suffered its first loss since falling to Connecticut in last season’s national title game, had four players score in double figures, led by Joyce Edwards and Ta’Niya Latson with 16 points apiece.
The matchup reflected the depth and competitiveness of today’s women’s game. After building a six-point lead early in the third quarter, Texas watched South Carolina surge ahead by eight. The Longhorns responded with composure, outscoring the Gamecocks 24-14 down the stretch while leaning on defense, discipline and late-game execution.
The championship followed an equally impressive performance against UCLA, when Texas controlled a furious Bruins comeback to secure a 76-65 semifinal victory. The Longhorns held a 45-25 halftime lead after shooting more than 51 percent from the floor and forcing 10 first-half turnovers.
UCLA mounted a 22-3 run to pull within four late in the fourth quarter, but Harmon took over. She scored all of Texas’ field goals in the final period and finished with a season-high 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Booker added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Lee contributed 13, and Carlton provided 10 off the bench. Texas forced a season-high 20 turnovers, reinforcing the defensive identity that has become a Schaefer trademark.
Beyond the wins, the weekend highlighted Texas’ growth. Harmon appears fully back to her All-America level after last season’s injury, Booker continues to play like a national player-of-the-year contender, and Lee has taken a significant step forward as a sophomore.
Perhaps the most threatening for the rest of the country, the Longhorns achieved their breakthrough using a limited rotation. Injuries kept freshman Aaliyah Crump, sophomore Bryanna Preston and transfer Ashton Judd on the sideline, reinforcements that could raise Texas’ ceiling even higher as the season continues.
In a sport packed with contenders and defined by razor-thin margins, Texas has separated itself through toughness, composure and belief. The Longhorns didn’t just survive a major week in Las Vegas they controlled it. It was a warning that Texas is only getting stronger. They have already jumped from No. 4 to No. 2 in the latest AP Top 25 poll.
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