Dec. 17, 2008
Complete notes [PDF]
#5/5 TEXAS (9-0) vs. #21/21 ARIZONA STATE (7-2)
Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008 • 7 p.m. Central
Frank Erwin Center (16,755) • Austin, Texas
GAME DAY QUICK FACTS
TELEVISION: None.
RADIO: KVET (1300 AM Sportsradio The Zone) will broadcast Thursday's game between Texas and Arizona State. Fans can also tune into XM Satellite Radio Ch. 231 for all of the action. Craig Way (pxp) and Carol Ross (analyst) will call the game.
INTERNET AUDIO: Listen to Texas Basketball games on subscription-based Yahoo! Sports College Broadcast.
INTERNET VIDEO: Watch Texas Basketball home games free on TexasSports.TV. (Note: Due to Big 12 Conference television contracts, home games are available for viewing 72 hours after completion of the game.)
SERIES: Texas leads, 3-0. Last meeting: Texas 62-51 (Dec. 20, 2007; Tempe, Ariz.)
Series vs. Arizona State
Thursday's contest marks the fourth meeting between Texas and Arizona State. The Longhorns hold a perfect 3-0 record in the all-time series which began on Dec. 2, 1998, in Tempe, Ariz. This marks the first time Arizona State has visited the Erwin Center since the second contest between the two schools on Dec. 21, 1999, when Texas prevailed 76-63. UT won last year's meeting on Dec. 20 at ASU, 62-51.
Horns at home
Now in its 32nd year of play in the Frank Erwin Center, Texas has posted an all-time record of 399-68 (.854) in the building. Texas has an all-time 74-46 (.613) mark against AP Top 25 teams at home, and boasts a 4-2 record under second-year head coach Gail Goestenkors. The Horns have won 31 of their last 39 home contests, including their last seven games in Austin.
A check of the pollsTexas is ranked No. 5 in both the latest Associated Press poll (Dec. 15) and ESPN/USA Today (Dec. 16) poll. The Longhorns are one of six teams that remain undefeated in both polls. After topping then-No. 7/10 Tennessee 73-59 on Dec. 14, Texas' next contest against No. 21/21 Arizona State marks its final Top 25 opponent of the pre-conference season.
Perfect start
Texas has now started the season a perfect 9-0 four times in its 35-year history. The Longhorns first accomplished the feat in their sixth season, 1979-80, and last went 9-0 out of the gate in 1987-88. Additionally, head coach Gail Goestenkors has started the season 9-0 five times in her 17-year head coaching career (four times at Duke).
Last time out: Tennessee (Dec. 14)
Brittainey Raven scored 21 points and No. 6 Texas (9-0) continued its best start in 20 years with a 73-59 win over No. 7 Tennessee on Dec. 14. Kathleen Nash added 12 points for the Longhorns, who are 9-0 for the first time since the 1987-88 season. Raven and Nash made two key 3-pointers in a 10-1 run midway through the second half that broke open a tough game and sent the Longhorns to a win over the highest-ranked opponent in coach Gail Goestenkors' two seasons.
Passing it around
Through the first nine games of the 2008-09 season, the Longhorns have more than doubled their opponents in assists. Texas has recorded 164 assists to its opponents' 80, with senior guard Carla Cortijo dishing out 53. UT is averaging 19.0 apg, a mark that ranks ninth nationally.
Dominant defense
Texas has held its opponents to an average of 51.3 points per contest and a combined 30.6 percent FG shooting, including a 31-of-142 (.218) mark from three-point range. UT has held eight of its nine opponents to under 40% FG shooting and five to under 30% FG shooting.
Raven eyeing 1,000
Junior guard Brittainey Raven is on the verge of joining an elite club of Texas women's basketball players. After scoring 21 points in Texas' win over Tennessee, Raven needs just 58 more points to become the 33rd player in UT history to reach 1,000 career points. The last player to eclipse the 1K mark was current WNBA standout Tiffany Jackson who accomplished the feat over the course of her sophomore year (2004-05).
Raven leading the Longhorns
Junior guard Brittainey Raven is living up to her Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention billing, as she has put together eight-straight double-digit performances and led the Longhorns in scoring in their last seven games. Raven leads Texas with an average of 17.6 ppg and ranks third on the team with 18 assists (2.0 apg).
Stacking up nationally
Texas is among the Top 10 in the nation in eight statistical categories. The Longhorns rank third in the nation in both field-goal percentage (48.7%) and scoring margin (32.7).
Rebounding rundown
Texas has outrebounded its opponents in all but one of its nine games. The Longhorns sport a +13.0 rebound margin (47.3-34.3) and have recorded at least a +10 advantage in seven contests. UT posted a season-high 52 rebounds in its 73-59 win over Tennessee on Dec. 14.
Three-point success
Texas has converted 38.3 percent (54-of-141) from beyond the arc in its nine games. UT has shot 40% or better from three-point range during a four-game stretch dating from the contest against Furman (Nov. 23) to the road contest at Ole Miss (Dec. 7). The Horns recorded a season-high 8-of-17 performance (.471) in Oxford.
The Ashleys dominate
At 6-4, freshman Ashley Gayle shares the title of Tallest Longhorn with senior Ashley Lindsey. The duo share duties in Texas' frontcourt defense and have the potential to be serious threats to offensive attacks, as Lindsey is closing in on Texas' all-time blocks record and Gayle plays above the rim with a flat-footed, non-step vertical reach of 10-2. Lindsey's vertical jump reaches an even 10 feet. Through eight games, the Ashleys have combined for 45 of Texas' 64 blocks, 10 of which came in Texas' 105-51 win over Furman (Nov. 23).
Lindsey closing in on blocks record
Senior post Ashley Lindsey has amassed 204 blocks in 98 games, placing her third all-time in the UT annals. Lindsey surpassed Tiffany Jackson (2003-07, 181 blocks) on Nov. 16, 2008, with four blocks in Texas' 110-76 victory over Saint Mary's. In addition, Lindsey's 94 single-season rejections during her junior year rank No. 2 in the UT season record books.
