The Guru’s NCAA Women’s Report: Drexel Succumbs to Texas’ Inside Strength; Maryland and Louisville Downed in Huge Rallies

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

In Texas everything has been known to be big or tall which Drexel experienced firsthand Friday afternoon to the 16^th seeded Dragons’ detriment when size mattered against the top seeded and AP 4^th ranked Longhorns in a lopsided 82-42 loss in a first-round NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Portland (Ore.) 4 sub-regional game at the relatively new Moody Center in Austin.

The differential in the paint with Drexel’s 6-2 Hedda Staatman the only post player tall enough to deal with four rotated by Vic Schaefer resulted in a 51-23 rebounding advantage for the Longhorns, 26-10 on the offensive glass for a punishing 44-18 differential inside off 22-6 second chance scoring capability.

Leading the way, Shaylee Gonzales scored 21 points easily from the outside for the Big 12 Conference automatic qualifiers and Taylor Jones had 18 while freshman Madison Booker set a program record in the tournament dishing 14 assists, her best on the season.

Earlier in the week Booker was named to the AP women’s basketball all-American second team and the third team of the United States Basketball Writers Association.

In December she moved from forward to a new position at point guard after Big 12 preseason player of the year Rori Harmon suffered a season-ending injury.

In Sunday’s second round game, Texas (31-4) will host 8^th seed Alabama (24-9) of the Southeastern Conference, which ousted 9^th seeded Florida State 82-74 ending the Atlantic Coast Conference representative’s season at 23-11. 

“I was wide open,” said Gonzales, who made all three attempts from deep in the third quarter when Texas’ 34-12 effort ruined any comeback notions from a 40-20 halftime deficit by Drexel (19-15). “They didn’t guard the wing very well. Obviously, we pass it inside, they collapse and double on post players and then the guards are open on the outside.”

Jones was 7-11 on the inside.

DeYona Gaston had 11 points and 10 rebounds fighting off illness while Shay Holle had seven rebounds, four blocks, and three steals.

A doctor earlier in the day said there was no fever and Gaston was not contagious. 

“The third quarter, that’s us,” said Schaefer who has restored Texas to prominence after he was lured back to his home grounds from Mississippi State where he led that squad to back-to-back NCAA title games, the first of which occurred after the semifinals upset of UConn, ending the Huskies’ national record 110 game win streak. “That’s what I see sometimes in practice.”

Amaris Baker scored 10 points for Drexel.

“They’re a great team, a great defensive team,” said Dragons coach Amy Mallon, who has always developed fine defensive outfits though in this setting her troop’s capability was no different than the small band back in history who fell to the Mexicans at the Alamo an hour away down I-35 in San Antonio.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that type of size,” said Drexel guard Grace O’Neill. “Definitely a challenge. They did a great job on the boards.”

She could also add what Texas did in transition, forcing 21 turnovers for a 28-7 differential in that category.

“I think that obviously you look at the rebounding difference, that was huge today,” Mallon said. “I say that to my team, ‘Rebounding is what really wins championships,’ and in this moment we weren't able to sustain that piece.

“But I think it's something you continue just as a reminder. With the growth of our team moving forward, that's something we'll continue to focus on as a group.”

Other than the traditional end of a season, there wasn’t much cause for tears over the magnitude of the loss. 

Drexel, which joins their male counterparts next season officially into the Big 5, were the only men’s or women’s team from the city in the NCAA field, though the Villanova and Saint Joseph’s women are off to a nice start in the NCAA newly created Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament.

In the second round on Sunday, Villanova will host Virginia at 2 p.m., Saint Joseph’s will be at California at 4 p.m., while on Monday Penn State will host Belmont at 6 p.m.

“... To play a team like Texas and play on their home court and just the environment, the experience we had today, I think that's what women's basketball is all about and we had an opportunity to play one of the best,” Mallon said.

“I think when you're a competitor and you start playing when you're a little girl, Amaris and Grace, we talk about this, you have a dream of playing in the NCAA tournament. We had an opportunity to do that today and play one of the best teams in the nation.

“So, I think the challenge obviously-- you talk about coming into a game and giving your best. I can't say I could be any prouder of this group. I think they gave their best. I knew they would,” she continued.

“But so many messages from people saying how proud they are of this team, and I can't tell them-- I said this before. This team made me a better coach this year in so many ways and I thanked them. Grateful for the experience.”

Added ONeill, “Winning the championship this year, it was an unbelievable experience and the feeling was just so great. It was great to be able to compete today in such an amazing arena.

“So, I think we're just really excited to get to work in the off season and hopefully do it again next year.”

Highlights From Elsewhere

It was not long ago when Maryland coached by Brenda Frese and Louisville coached by her former assistant Jeff Walz were considered major challengers in the NCAA women’s field.

On Friday both teams were dispatched in the first round succumbing to huge rallies.

In Albany Region 2 sixth seed Louisville, ranked 23rd this week in the AP Poll, fell to 11^th seed Middle Tennessee 71-69 in Baton Rouge, La., the Blue Raiders rallying from an 18-point deficit for their 20^th straight win as Savannah Wheeler, the Conference USA player of the year scored 20 of her 22 points in the second half.

The losing Cardinals (24-10) were ranked all season but most of it in the bottom sector.

The win by MTSU (30-4) matches the third largest comeback. Jalynn Gregory scored 24 points and Anastasiia Boldyreva had 11 points, 12 rebounds, and three vlocks.

Olivia Cochrane had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Louisville while Nina Rickards scored 12.

The Cardinals ran into trouble when Cochrane picked up her fourth foul midway through the third quarter and was subbed.

“We made a big push when that happened,” said Raiders coach Rick Insell. “They didn’t have anybody else like her and we didn’t either.”

The defeat removes two stories from Sunday’s second round involving third seed and defending champion LSU (29-5), 3^rd seeded and eighth ranked which advanced with a 70-60 win over 14^th seeded Rice (19-15).

The host Tigers’ Hailey Van Lith was a premium off-season transfer from Louisville and Walz is deprived of derailing LSU coach Kim Mulkey a second time having upset Baylor when she was there in 2013, opening the way for UConn and Breanna Stewart to win the first of four straight championships.

DePaul transfer Anessah Morrow had 15 points for LSU, Flau’Jae Johnson and freshman Mikaylah Williams each scored 14, while Angel Reese had 10 points and 19 rebounds.

Meanwhile 10^th seed Maryland (19-14) in a Portland 4 sub-regional at Stanford gave up a 20-point lead to Iowa State as freshman Audi Crooks scored 40 for the 7^th seed Cyclones 

“I thought that was one of the most entertaining games I have ever been a part of,” said Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly, who years ago had Maryland’s Frese as one of his first assistants. “So proud of our team, ecstatic for them.”

Iowa State on Sunday will play second seed and fith ranked Stanford (29-5), the Pac-12 regular season champion who beat Norfolk State 79-50.

It’s the second largest comeback in the history of the tournament just short of the 21 Texas A&M rallied on Penn.

It’s the earliest exit for Frese who has coached the Terrapins since 2002.

Saturday matchups have ABC airing UConn and Jackson State at 1 p.m. and Iowa with Caitlin Clark hosting Holy Cross at 3 p.m.

And that’s the report.