Horns one-and-done after blowing lead
EUGENE, Ore. — Jaelynn Penn had 24 points and Bendu Yeaney added 17 to help 10th-seeded Indiana rally from a 10-point deficit and surprise No. 7 Texas 6965 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Brenna Wise and Ali Patberg contributed 10 points apiece for the Hoosiers (21-12), who were making their first appearance in the tournament in three years.
Texas (23-10) was led by Danni Williams with 15 points. Joyner Holmes added 12 points and 12 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.
Indiana will face the winner of the late game between second-seeded Oregon (29-4) and No. 15 Portland State (25-7).
The Hoosiers trailed 3729 at the half but outscored Texas 23-12 in the third quarter and went into the final period leading 52-49. But Holmes’ layup and three straight free throws from Williams put the Longhorns up 55-54.
After the teams teams wrestled for the lead, a Williams layup put Texas in front 63-62. Yeaney answered with a pair of free throws to put Indiana back in front, and Penn hit a 3pointer to make it 67-63 with 1:58 left.
A Jatarie White putback pulled Texas within two points, and after turnovers for both teams, Patberg made two free throws with 12 seconds left to all but seal the win.
Indiana was making its sixth overall tournament appearance. Previously 2-5 in tournament games, the Hoosiers earned an at-large bid after falling to Iowa 7061 in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.
The winner of last year’s WNIT tournament, Indiana was helped in its bid for an NCAA berth this season by a victory over No. 10 Iowa last month.
Texas, No. 23 in the season’s final AP Top 25 poll, was making its sixth straight tournament appearance. The Longhorns fell to Iowa State 75-69 in the Big 12 tournament semifinals.
The Longhorns had been to the Sweet 16 the past four years. Last season ended with a loss to UCLA in Kansas City.
Indiana jumped out to an early 10-4 lead, paced by Penn with eight points, including two 3-pointers. Wise hit a 3-pointer to stretch the lead to 23-15 before the end of the first quarter.
Texas tied it at 27 on an Audrey Warren 3, then pulled in front on a jumper by Williams. A Charli Collier layup put the Longhorns up 37-27, but a Penn layup made it an eight-point game at the break.
The Longhorns won the only other meeting between the teams, 86-79 back in 1982.