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Texas vs South Dakota State: Longhorns head into holiday break with a 46-point win

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Texas vs South Dakota State: Longhorns head into holiday break with a 46-point win


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After a 103-57 win over South Dakota State on Sunday, the Texas Longhorns will head into their holiday break on a high note.

Sunday’s lopsided win at Moody Center came five days after Texas beat La Salle by a 111-49 score. Texas hadn’t scored 100 points in consecutive games since it did so against McNeese State and UTSA in November 2017.

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Texas never trailed on Sunday, and freshmen Jordan Lee and Justice Carlton served as first-half catalysts for the No. 6 team in the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll. Lee started and scored 10 first-quarter points while Carlton came off the bench to score 17 first-half points on 7-of-9 shooting. Combined, Lee and Carlton had 29 points in the first half. South Dakota State’s entire team had 26.

While Texas built its 53-26 lead in the first half, eight of the nine Longhorns who played scored. The surprising exception was All-American Madison Booker, who distributed three assists and grabbed three rebounds but missed her three shots.

A perennial NCAA tournament qualifier that had split its prior games against ranked Creighton and Duke teams, South Dakota State (10-3) never cut into its 27-point halftime deficit in the second half.

Here are three observations from Sunday’s 46-point rout:

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Mwenentanda remains patient with her process

Carlton finished with 19 points and nine rebounds while senior forward Taylor Jones had 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Lee and senior guard Rori Harmon respectively added 14 and 13 points for a Texas team that shot 53.9% from the field. Booker was limited to nine points, but Harmon pointed out after the game that Booker’s +/- of 41 was the best among the Longhorns.

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda was the fifth Longhorn to record a double-digit scoring total. Over 11 minutes, Mwenentanda scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Mwenentanda grew up in South Dakota and was that state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022. The school in Sioux Falls where she won a state championship is about an hour drive from South Dakota State’s campus. Mwenentanda was recruited by the Jackrabbits but she said that she was attracted to what Texas could offer her athletically and academically.

Since arriving on campus, Mwenentanda has shown glimpses of her potential since arriving at Texas, but she has mainly been a role player for the Longhorns. Sunday was the 11th time that she scored at least 10 points in a game. Just twice in her career has she played more than 25 minutes.

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Mwenentanda sees herself as a Swiss Army Knife on the Texas roster. She’s listed as a 6-foot-2 guard on the team’s roster, but Vic Schaefer has mainly used her as a “4” player this season. Mwenentanda played some in the paint last season, but she got more playing time as a guard. Training more with the post players this offseason has helped her adjust to that role this season.

“I physically prepared for it, I mentally prepared for it. I’m enjoying it,” Mwenentanda said.

Schaefer praised the play of Mwenentanda in his postgame press conference on Sunday. Earlier in the week, Mwenentanda said that she was staying patient with her process.

“Everybody’s process is different. I feel like comparing myself to other people’s process would be one reason to give up,” Mwenentanda said. “Everybody on this team are great players, are great women so even though this process is a little bit different for me, it’s not something I look at negatively because I know everybody’s working hard and everybody’s pitching in.”

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Status for sidelined Laila Phelia remains unclear

Texas senior Laila Phelia missed her third straight game on Sunday. Phelia suffered a detached retina during the offseason. Texas has not announced a timeline for her return, but Schaefer has said the program will soon release an update.

The leading scorer at Michigan last season, Phelia has played in just eight of the Longhorns’ 13 games. She is averaging 6.1 points and 19.4 minutes per game while shooting 40.5% from the field.

What’s next for Texas? Rest and one final tune-up

Next on the schedule for Texas is a home game against UTRGV (6-6) on Dec. 29. That will be the Longhorns’ final game until their Southeastern Conference debut at Oklahoma on Jan. 2, 2025.

But first, the Longhorns will get some rest. Mwenentanda won’t be able to fly back to South Dakota until Monday morning, but the rest of the Longhorns headed home after Sunday’s win. The Longhorns will return to practice on Dec. 27.

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How will the Longhorns spend their break? The three players who attended Sunday’s postgame press conference – Carlton, Harmon and Mwenentanda – said they’d take some time off, but they added that they’ll get some workouts in with family and hometown trainers.

As for Schaefer? He’ll do some work over the break, but he won’t be in his office.

“I’m going to be standing in about knee-deep water in the morning calling a duck and having my son (Logan) with me and my dog, my hunting dog, not my show dog. We’ll enjoy some time together in the morning and then we’ll wet a line and fish in the afternoon,” Schaefer said. “I’ll probably sit in my bow stand a couple of nights with my computer in my lap and watch film. I don’t really care if I see anything or not, but I usually see a lot. I get more work done sitting in a bow stand in a bow blind than I do a lot of times sitting at my desk.

“I’ll just enjoy time with family. I’m really blessed with Holly and Logan and Blair here and we’re all together at Christmas, and it’s just a special time for us. We really embrace the Christmas season.”

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Live Updates: Lady Vols Softball vs. Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series

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Live Updates: Lady Vols Softball vs. Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series


Live Updates – Tennessee Lady Vols vs. Texas Tech Softball (WCWS)

Current Score: Tied 0-0

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***Note: If you want the latest updates make sure to refresh the story***

First Inning:
Top: Karlyn Pickens strikes the first batter out. Texas Tech hits a single that went off the glove of Pickens. Jackie Lis comes to the plate. She advances the runner, but she grounds out to short. Pickens gets a massive strikeout to end the inning. Great job by the Lady Vols ace.

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Bottom: Tennessee will now come to the plate. Kaitlyn Terry is the pitcher for the Red Raiders. Sophia Knight will start it off. Knight hits an infield single thanks to her speed. Here comes game one’s MVP, Elsa Morrison. Morrison strikes out. Ella Dodge hits a grounder to second, which gets the runner out, but she is safe at first. Emma Clarke hits a line out to Williams at second base to end the inning, as she had to make a vertical effort to bring that one down.

Second Inning:
Top: Here comes former Lady Vol Taylor Pannell. She pops out. Pickens will face the Red Raiders’ pitcher, who also hits. Pickens gets the Lady Vols off the field.

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Bottom: Leach lines out to begin the inning. Makenzie Butt pops out to right field, which will be out No. 2. Gabby Leach is out to end the inning for the Lady Vols.

Third Inning:
Top: Quiroga lines out to begin the inning, and Pickens continues to move strongly. Halleman grounded out to second for out No. 2. Williams grounded out to third, which will get the Lady Vols off the field.

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Bottom: Bella Faw singles to get on base. Holley grounds out, but Faw advances to second. Knight is struck by a pitch, and there are now two on base for the Lady Vols with only one out this inning. This gives Tennessee two on with a runner in scoring position. Here comes the Red Raiders’ ace, Nija Canady. Morrison fouls out. A wild pitch advances both runners. One at third and one at second now with two outs. Dodge is hit by a pitch, and bases are now loaded for the Lady Vols. Canady forced a full count for Clarke with bases loaded, and Clarke collided with Lis around first base, and the bases were left loaded. Texas Tech escapes.

Fourth Inning:
Top:
Pickens forces a groundout. Lis grounds out, and the Lady Vols have put two away quickly. Pickens retires her 11th straight batter after forcing a groundout to second base.

Bottom:
Leach reaches to begin the inning. It was via an error. She will be taken out of the game for a pinch runner. Saviya Morgan is on base. Makenzie Butt is up to bat. Canady strikes Butt out. Morgan gets picked off at second base. Gabby Leach hits a single to center field.

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Pre Game Information

May 28, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers first baseman Makenzie Butt (98) makes an out at first in the seventh inning against the Texas Longhorns during the NCAA Women’s College World Series at Devon Park. Tennessee won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images
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The Tennessee Lady Vols are set for their next matchup in the softball realm, as this is the second game they will play in the Women’s College World Series. In their first game, they were victorious against the Texas Longhorns, as they defeated the Longhorns by a score of 6-3 in a game in which they were viewed as the underdogs. Now they will have to play another great team with the hopes of continuing to hold on to their advantage of having no losses in a two-loss tournament. After today, only two of the eight teams that advanced and two of the six teams that remain will be able to say that.

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The Lady Vols are up first out of the two games today, and they will be playing against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Red Raiders are entering this game with no losses after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs in their game. The Bulldogs entered the event as the biggest underdog, but the Red Raiders can compete with any of the teams at the event. They had to defeat a Florida Gators team that won a series against the Lady Vols to get to the Women’s College World Series.

This game will be one of the more anticipated games in the whole tournament, as this may not even be the only time that these two match up throughout the World Series. Regardless, the Tennessee Lady Vols will look for another big moment in the biggest game of their season thus far.

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USC squanders late lead, falls to Texas State in NCAA regional opener

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USC squanders late lead, falls to Texas State in NCAA regional opener


After spending most of Friday night wasting scoring opportunities, Adrian Lopez and his USC teammates headed into the ninth inning with plenty of confidence. Unfortunately for the Trojans, Texas State wasn’t done yet.

Lopez gave the Trojans the lead in the eighth inning with a home run at Blue Bell Park, but USC couldn’t close out the opener of the NCAA tournament’s College Station Regional.

Texas State’s Chase Mora greeted USC closer Adam Troy with a monstrous two-run home run to left field in the top of ninth, propelling the Bobcats to 5-4 upset before a crowd of 6,956.

“To take the lead right there late, we’re riding high feeling real good and confident going into the ninth,” Lopez said. “I think … the ball fell how it fell. It is what it is. But we’re pretty stoked and excited going into the ninth with the lead.”

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Texas State coach Steve Trout mused that it felt as though the Bobcats were “on the ropes” all night. As trite as that might sound, he’s right.

Unfortunately for the Trojans, they never could deliver the knockout punch. Texas State wasn’t as forgiving. Mora was sitting on Troy’s fastball, and he pounced for his 11th home run of the year.

“Sure enough,” Mora said, “I got the pitch I was sitting on and made a good swing.”

Troy’s blown save was a major part of the story. He arguably wasn’t the biggest reason USC lost, though. The Trojans had plenty of chances. They wasted most of them, leaving 13 men on base on a night they struck out 12 times.

Moreover, the Trojans wasted a major bases-loaded scoring opportunity when Isaac Cadena was picked off at second base for the second out of the fifth. Walter Urbon then flew out to right to end the threat.

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“We got picked off there at second base with one out,” USC coach Andy Stankiewicz said. “That was kind of a gut shot. We have to be better on the bases. We have to be a little more aware when we get off the bag there.

“I thought we executed fine to get runners where we needed to get them. The second part is we got to get them across home plate. That’s the part we didn’t do as well tonight.”

The Bobcats’ shaky defense spotted USC two unearned runs. The Trojans will surely lament, however, stranding runners in scoring position in each of the first seven innings.

The Trojans will now prepare to face Lamar University, which blew a five-run lead in a 7-5 loss to host Texas A&M earlier Friday.

If Stankiewicz’s Trojans return to the College World Series for the first time since 2001, the 12-time national champions must do it out of the losers’ bracket.

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“We’re just going to battle our tails off to keep showing up,” said Abbrie Covarrubias, who gave the Trojans a 3-1 lead with a home run in the fourth inning. “We’re in the fire, so we’re just going to battle our way through and pour our hearts out really.”

USC right-hander Grant Govel, an All-Big Ten First Team selection, settled for a no-decision after giving up three runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts over 5 ⅔ innings.

He was relieved by freshman left-hander Sax Matson with one on and two outs in the top of the sixth. Matson escaped unscathed in the sixth, but he was relieved by right-hander Andrew Johnson with one on and two outs in the seventh.

The Trojans, who reached the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, have lost four of their last five games.

“We left some runners in scoring position,” Stankiewicz said. “I’d like to have those back. But they made some pitches when they needed to.”

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Stankiewicz, Adrian Lopez and Covarrubias are adamant that they believe in Troy, who has a team-leading 12 saves this season. No other Trojan has more than three saves.

“He’s been our guy, like coach said,” Lopez said of Troy. “He has a number … of saves. We trust him with everything we have. I wouldn’t want anyone else throwing the last couple pitches of the game. Going tomorrow, everyone’s available. If he’s back in that same situation, I’m just as confident as ever.”



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Why are Mississippi State softball fans wearing broccoli shirts vs Texas at WCWS?

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Why are Mississippi State softball fans wearing broccoli shirts vs Texas at WCWS?


OKLAHOMA CITY — Mississippi State softball is playing in an elimination game at the Women’s College World Series.

The Bulldogs (43-20) are facing No. 2 seed Texas (47-12) at Devon Park on May 29 (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).

Mississippi State and its fans are doing everything they can to muster up some good luck, including using broccoli, which has become the team’s rally prop throughout the NCAA Tournament.

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Some fans and parents of the players are even wearing T-shirts with images of broccoli on them that read “Broccoli Power.”

Here’s what to know about the shirts and why MSU is wearing them.

Why are Mississippi State fans wearing broccoli shirts?

Broccoli became MSU’s good luck charm after a fan known as Broccoli Guy started cheering them on at the Eugene Regional.

He used broccoli as pom-poms while dancing in the stands. For the regional final, MSU brought broccoli for players to hold in the dugout for good luck.

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This trend continued during the super regionals, with MSU bringing broccoli on the bus, holding it in the dugout and posting pictures and videos of it on social media ahead of Game 3 against Oklahoma. Broccoli Guy also showed up to support the Bulldogs again.

Now, with the Bulldogs facing elimination at the WCWS, fans, parents and players are hoping the broccoli shirts, along with their physical stalks of broccoli, will help power them to a win over the Longhorns.

2026 Women’s College World Series schedule

All times CT

  • May 28
    • Game 1: Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0
    • Game 2: Tennessee 6, Texas 3
    • Game 3: Alabama 6, UCLA 3
    • Game 4: Nebraska 5, Arkansas 3
  • May 29
    • Game 5: Mississippi State vs Texas (6 p.m., ESPN)
    • Game 6: UCLA vs Arkansas (8:30 p.m., ESPN)
  • May 30
    • Game 7: Texas Tech vs Tennessee (2 p.m., ABC)
    • Game 8: Alabama vs Nebraska (6 p.m., ESPN)
  • May 31
    • Game 9: Game 5 winner vs Game 8 loser (2 p.m., ABC)
    • Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 7 loser (6 p.m., ESPN2)
  • June 1
    • Game 11: Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (11 a.m., ESPN)
    • Game 12 (if necessary): Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (1:30 p.m., ESPN)
    • Game 13: Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (6 p.m., ESPN2)
    • Game 14 (if necessary): Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
  • June 3
    • Finals Game 1 (7 p.m., ESPN)
  • June 4
    • Finals Game 2 (7 p.m., ESPN)
  • June 5
    • If necessary, finals Game 3 (7 p.m., ESPN)

Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.



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