Texas basketball: Longhorns open final stretch of non-conference play with a blowout win

Back at Moody Center for just the second time this month, No. 6 Texas crushed La Salle in a non-conference game on Tuesday night.

Senior forward Taylor Jones recorded her third double-double performance of the season, and Kyla Oldacre and Justice Carlton respectively scored 18 and 17 points in a 111-49 victory. With two games left until its Southeastern Conference opener, Texas is now 11-1.

The Longhorns will next host South Dakota State (10-2) on Sunday afternoon.

“We’ve got a monster on Sunday. South Dakota State is really good and well-coached. They’re always an NCAA tournament team. They win their league every year. So we’ve got to sharpen up a little bit and be ready on Sunday,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. “My concern on Sunday is that my kids are going to have one foot out the door ready for Christmas break, and sometimes you can do that against the three-name directional school. You (can’t) get away with that on Sunday.”

The 62-point win was the second-most lopsided victory of UT’s season, but the game was competitive in the first quarter. La Salle (6-6) even led twice before the first media timeout was called.

During that first quarter, Texas leaned on the depth it has often boasted about but not always used this season. Eleven Longhorns played in the first quarter, and Schaefer made his first substitutions less than three minutes into the game.

Reserve guard Jordana Codio, who had not played in a first half this season, gave UT a lead it wouldn’t relinquish when she sank a 3-pointer with 5:38 left in the frame. A junior, Codio finished with seven points over a career-high 17 minutes.

“That was the game plan,” Schaefer said. “Jordana’s had four really good days, she’s earned it. … She’s doing what Shay had to do her first few years. She’s over there on the men’s practice team, and she dominated our team. So she deserved the opportunity. She came in and did exactly what we needed, which was give us some juice.”

Texas exited the first half with a 19-12 advantage and then outscored La Salle by a 38-9 margin in the second quarter. The Longhorns’ lead swelled to as many as 67 points in the second half.

While playing just 14 minutes, Jones scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against the undersized Explorers. Jones and fellow post players Oldacre and Carlton led Texas to a 70-14 advantage in paint points. The Longhorns also got a combined 21 points and 11 assists from point guards Rori Harmon and Bryanna Preston while All-American forward Madison Booker had 10 points and six rebounds.

Aryss Macktoon and Ivy Fox each scored seven points to lead La Salle.

Before Tuesday’s game, members of the UT basketball team received rings to celebrate the championship they won at last season’s Big 12 tournament. Nine players remain from that team.