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Mark Pope won't use injuries as an excuse for Texas loss: “It's not acceptable.”

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Mark Pope won't use injuries as an excuse for Texas loss: “It's not acceptable.”


If you want to give Kentucky a pass for losing at Texas because the injury bug has taken out the backcourt, Mark Pope wants you to demand more from this team. Not the team as it was constructed to open the season or even what it was last week, but how things look today — the version with Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa out.

That group of Wildcats held a five-point lead with 3:51 to go. From that point forward, the Longhorns went on a 14-1 run to take an eight-point lead with 34 seconds left on the clock. The wheels fell off in Austin and the collapse just wasn’t acceptable in Pope’s eyes, no matter who was out on the floor.

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“We’re not leaving any space for that. Like, I have a good team,” he said. “The guys on the court are good players, and we’re good enough to win. These guys have proven that. We just didn’t do it in the last three minutes and 45 seconds tonight. That’s just it. It was tonight, and it’s super painful. It’s not acceptable. All those things are true.

“We have the guys we need to win, and we’re going to figure out a way to do it. We did it for 36 minutes, we just couldn’t do it for the last four. That’s just the truth. That’s just the fact. We’ll lean into the facts right now.”

Kentucky shot just 41.9 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from three with six 3-pointers — although two came in the final 18 seconds. There were three makes in the first half, then one with 17 minutes to go before that late stretch when the game was all over but the shouting.

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When asked about how much the lineups impacted the Wildcats down the stretch and whether they dealt with physical and/or mental fatigue with the rotation tightened, Pope once again refused to accept any excuses for the loss.

With Butler and Robinson out, Travis Perry and Trent Noah combined for 49 minutes, plus another 23 from Ansley Almonor. Those guys are good enough, their coach believes with total confidence.

“We’re just not spending any time on that. We have really good players,” Pope said. “Travis Perry stepped up and really battled like crazy tonight. Trent Noah is doing unbelievable work. These guys that are filling in spots are doing — they’re really, really good players. We’re good enough to win.

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“We’re not allowing any space for any of that. We have a good team, we’re good enough to win. We were good enough to win for 36 minutes tonight, and we’ll get good enough to win in the last four.”

It’s not a catch-all deal where you’re also minimizing the value guys like Butler, Robinson and Kriisa bring to the table. That’s certainly not the case. Pope just wants to make it clear Kentucky is good enough to win games like this one with the nine players who took the floor in blue and white at the Moody Center in Austin. It doesn’t matter the positions or new roles, they’re good enough.

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“Certainly, there’s some new stuff, for sure. Certainly some guys are in new positions they haven’t been in, for sure, but this group is good enough to win,” Pope continued. “We’ll figure that part out. We’re going to get there.”

A tough, but avoidable loss in Pope’s eyes. That last segment will be keeping the Kentucky head coach up the next couple of nights.



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Texas Rangers investigating allegations of assault against Magnolia mayor

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Texas Rangers investigating allegations of assault against Magnolia mayor


MAGNOLIA, Texas (KTRK) — Texas Rangers confirmed to ABC13 that they have an active and open investigation into Magnolia Mayor Matthew “Doc” Dantzer following allegations of assault against the city’s secretary.

Bryan Emery spoke to ABC13 on behalf of his fiancée, Christian Gable, the Magnolia City secretary.

Gable told her fiancé what happened last October during an out-of-town work conference with Mayor Dantzer.

Emery said Gable, who was pregnant at the time, told him the mayor was walking her back to the hotel.

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“He’s like, ‘Well, that only means one thing, once they get past the belly, they come off easier, and he reaches over there and tries to pull her pants down,’” Emery said.

Next, he said his fiancée threatened to kill the mayor, and when they got back to the hotel, Emery said the mayor went a step further towards Gable.

“He turns around and says this is how he needs to deal with you and grabs her by the throat and pins her up – there’s these big silver pillars in front of valet – pins her up against this pillar in front of the valet, she fights her off, turns around and yells at the valet people ‘nobody seen that, nobody’s going to do anything,’” Emery said.

ABC13 reached out to the attorney representing Mayor Dantzer. He sent ABC13 a statement denying the allegations and saying Dantzer looks forward to defending himself through the legal process.

The city’s attorney said they have no comment, but Emery hopes justice will be served.

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“I’m really hoping they get everything they need and get him off the streets pretty soon,” Emery said.

The mayor has not been charged.

Copyright © 2026 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Scouting the women’s NCAA Elite 8 contest between Michigan and Texas

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Scouting the women’s NCAA Elite 8 contest between Michigan and Texas


Free Press staff writer Arpan Lobo breaks down the Elite Eight matchup between 1-seed Texas and 2-seed Michigan in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Fast facts

  • Matchup: 1-seed Texas (34-3, 13-3, SEC) vs. 2-seed Michigan (28-6, 15-3 Big Ten); 2026 NCAA Tournament Fort Worth-3 regional final.
  • Tipoff: 7 p.m., March 30; Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas.
  • TV: ESPN.
  • Series: 1-0 Texas. The only other meeting between the two programs was in 2018, when Texas won, 69-52.

At stake: Winner advances to the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3-5.

Michigan women’s basketball: Meet the Wolverines

  • Location: Ann Arbor.
  • Coach: Kim Barnes Arico (311-150 over 14 seasons at U-M, 487-284 career).
  • School tournament record: 15-13 in 13 appearances.
  • Past 10 games: 9-1
  • Scoring leaders: Olivia Olson, 19.2 points per game; Syla Swords 14.8; Mila Holloway, 12.4.
  • Rebounding leaders: Olson, 6.2; Brooke Quarles Daniels, 5.2; Te’yala Delfosse, 4.6.
  • Assist leaders: Holloway, 4.8; Quarles Daniels, 2.9; Olson, 2.5.
  • 3-point leaders: McKenzie Mathurin, 40%; Macy Brown*, 36.1%; Holloway, 34.9%.

*Out for season.

The buzz: Michigan is back to the Elite Eight for only the second time in program history, with its only other appearance being a loss to Louisville in 2022. They’ve outclassed and outworked their first three opponents in the tournament, most recently overcoming an early deficit against Louisville to run away late in a 71-52 victory in the Sweet 16.

Even after slow shooting starts from stars Olson and Swords in their past two contests, the Wolverines have been able to break down their opponents by deploying constant pressure, picking up ballhandlers deep in their own backcourts. They force turnovers and create easy looks in transition. Olson, a third-team AP All-American, was big in the second half against both North Carolina State and Louisville, and has been Michigan’s leading scorer in the tournament.

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Another factor aiding Michigan’s run? Outworking their opponents on the glass. Guard Brooke Quarles Daniels, at all of 5-foot-7, had a whopping seven offensive boards against Louisville. Michigan has won the rebounding battle in all three of its tournament games so far.

The Wolverines haven’t met an opponent like Texas yet, and particularly an individual force like Madison Booker.

Texas women’s basketball: Meet the Longhorns

  • Location: Austin, Texas.
  • Coach: Vic Schaefer (177-29 at Texas, 478-211 career).
  • School tournament record: 58-36 in 38 appearances.
  • Past 10 games: 10-0.
  • Scoring leaders: Madison Booker, 19.3 points per game; Jordan Lee, 13.5; Kyla Oldacre, 10.4
  • Rebounding leaders: Booker, 6.7; Oldacre, 6.1; Breya Cunningham, 5.6.
  • Assist leaders: Rori Harmon, 6.1; Booker, 3.8; Lee, 2.5.
  • 3-point leaders: Harmon, 45.8%; Bryanna Preston, 44.4%; 43.8%.

The buzz: After a dominating season, the Longhorns find themselves a win away from a second consecutive Final Four appearance. And the team’s biggest star is three-time All-American forward Madison Booker, who’s led the Longhorns in scoring on the way to another deep tournament run.

Booker is more than just a scorer, however, and is able to facilitate in half court. Although her 3-point field goal percentage has dipped compared to her sophomore season, she’s still able to provide spacing for Texas. Against Kentucky in the Elite Eight, she totaled 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists on the way to a 76-54 win for Texas that was never really in doubt.

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Although the Longhorns have others with better percentages from deep, guard Jordan Lee is the team’s most willing outside shooter, hitting nearly 36% from range on more than three attempts a game.

Against Kentucky, Texas forced 24 Wildcat turnovers. The Longhorns boasted the third-best turnover margin in the country this season. Against a Michigan team that likes to bring pressure as well, the turnover battle could play a sizeable role in determining which program heads to Phoenix. The matchup represents a styles clash as well — the Wolverines are the eighth-best scoring offense in the country at 83.9 points per game, but Texas owns a top-15 scoring defense, limiting opponents to 56.4 points per game.

The contest is also taking place in Fort Worth, a much shorter trip from Austin than from Ann Arbor. The crowd is likely to be behind the Longhorns.

You can reach Arpan Lobo at alobo@freepress.com



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Texas A&M avoids sweep taking Game 3, 9-7, hands Texas rare home loss

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Texas A&M avoids sweep taking Game 3, 9-7, hands Texas rare home loss


No. 15 Texas A&M walked out of Austin with a hard‑earned win on Sunday, taking Game 3 of the rivalry series 9–7 to avoid the sweep in what felt every bit like a postseason matchup. The Aggies built an early lead, added crucial insurance late, and held off a furious seventh‑inning push from No. 1 Texas to snap the Longhorns’ nation‑leading win streak.

A&M once again struck first, continuing a trend from the entire weekend. Kennedy Powell’s speed immediately created pressure, turning a single into extra bases after a throwing error. Ariel Kowalewski followed with an RBI double, and Micaela Wark delivered a two‑run home run to give the Aggies a 3–0 advantage before Texas recorded its third out.

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The Longhorns answered with a run in the bottom of the first, but KK Dement erased it with a solo shot in the second inning. A&M’s pitching and defense kept Texas quiet for the next three frames until a two‑run double trimmed the lead to 4–3.

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With momentum shifting, the Aggies responded with their biggest inning of the series. Frankie Vrazel doubled, Powell doubled her home, and after a walk to Mya Perez, Kowalewski punched a two‑RBI single through the infield. Texas appeared ready to escape the inning, but consecutive defensive errors extended the frame and allowed three more Aggie runs to score, pushing the lead to 9–3 entering the seventh.

Texas refused to fold. The Longhorns put two on with no outs and pushed across a pair of runs, one on a sacrifice fly, another on a groundout. Down to their final out with no one on base, Texas launched back‑to‑back solo home runs to suddenly cut the deficit to two. Sydney Lessentine steadied the moment, inducing a pop‑up to the catcher to close out the win.

Across all three games, the rivalry delivered exactly what it promised. Intensity, high‑level softball, and postseason energy. While Texas claimed the series, the Aggies leave Austin with a top‑25 win, a snapped streak, and a performance that reinforced their ability to compete with anyone in the country.





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