FORT WORTH, Texas — Put her in. Put her in.
The Texas crowd is ravenous for their closer. It’s not Rori Harmon, their fifth-year point guard writing a storybook ending. Madison Booker, the All-American mid-range dagger, hadn’t played since the third quarter. Kyla Oldacre and Breya Cunningham put up “do not enter” signs on the paint an hour ago.
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Vic Schaefer answers the call, sending the last player on his bench to the table. The smile of Sarah Graves sends the Texas-heavy crowd into overdrive for the fourth time in as many NCAA games.
Give it to her, the fans yell. It’s the first time that night disappointment sets in. They’re not going to let her score, one mutters. I don’t blame them, the other says.
She attempts a 3 that bounces high off the rim. Teya Sidberry snags the rebound. The ball finds its way back to Graves and this time she drains it, her foot on the line, but earning an iconic “You bet” from ESPN broadcaster Ryan Ruocco anyway. They’re the final points of a 77-41 decimation of No. 2 Michigan on Monday in the Fort Worth 3 regional at Dickies Arena to clinch a berth in the Final Four.
That’s how well things have gone for Texas this month: The Longhorns are giving their self-described “personality hire” late-game minutes. This, in the latter rounds of the NCAA tournament when benches shorten, not lengthen. And in a more well-known stat, Schaefer’s suit jacket hadn’t come off in seven or eight games.
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“I don’t think there’s any doubt [that] right now they’re playing as good as any team I’ve ever had,” Schaefer said ahead of his fourth Final Four appearance. “You know, they’re really locked in. Again, their chemistry is off the chart. Their focus is laser focus.”
They’re playing like the best team in the field, No. 1 overall seed and undefeated Connecticut included. The Longhorns shot out to an early lead with balanced, efficient scoring and led by as many as 40 before resting the starters. Booker scored 19 with seven rebounds to earn Most Outstanding Player. Harmon (7 points, 7 rebounds, 13 assists) joined her, as did Jordan Lee, the third head of the snake whose off-night Schaefer isn’t sweating.
The winning margin is the largest of the Elite Eight, the round coaches call the most difficult since a Final Four is on the line.
The Longhorns are dominating the NCAA tournament by a 35.5-point winning margin on the heels of winning the SEC tournament by 19. They’ve defeated two of the fellow No. 1 seeds in the Final Four field. And that wasn’t even playing the level of basketball they’ve played this month.
Vic Schaefer celebrates with Rori Harmon and Madison Booker in the final minutes of Texas’ win over Michigan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
(Elsa via Getty Images)
Exhibit A: Graves didn’t see playing time against UCLA or South Carolina. She’s played in every game of the postseason after playing a total of four minutes from Jan. 29 through March 6. The senior averaged 1.2 points and 3.8 minutes her entire career with Schaefer. This month, she is 4 of 7 after making seven buckets the entire season.
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Every one draws elation from the crowd.
“It’s not like they’re chanting for Sarah Graves,” she said after hitting two final-minute free throws in the Sweet 16. “They’re chanting for the idea of college sports, that there’s more than just yourself and more than your own success and kind of pouring into each other gives more to you than anything you can do for yourself.”
It’s the epitome of what Texas has done this year to reach a second consecutive Final Four. Their 18.2 assists are top-10; they had 21 on 30 baskets in the Elite Eight. Their depth rivals that of UConn, a stark contrast to a Michigan team that needs its three sophomore guards to all have good days.
And they love and care about each other like no team Schaefer has seen. The first player to Graves at the end of the game was Booker, waving a towel and looking the happiest she had been all night. In press conferences, the National Player of the Year contender stepped in to highlight overlooked others. Harmon is an old pro at it, the Texas way.
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“I want them to really embrace the name on the front of their jersey, because if you represent the name on the front of your jersey, the back will take care of itself,” Schaefer said this weekend. “I think that’s where our kids are. They understand that.”
Texas reached back-to-back Final Fours only once, in 1986 and 1987 under legendary coach Jody Conradt. Conradt won the program’s only title in 1986 and is with the team this postseason near the bench and at practices. She watched from afar as the team cut down the nets again.
This time they all knew what they were doing, shortening the post-game championship process. But Schaefer doesn’t want to turn the page just yet. Any talk of UCLA, their Final Four opponent, will wait until Phoenix.
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First, he’s going turkey hunting back home on Tuesday morning.
“I’m going to treat myself in the morning — it might not even take longer than 30 minutes if I can call that dude off the roost, but after that I’ll be in the office, and I’ll be getting ready for UCLA,” Schaefer said.
The turkeys won’t agree, but things are good in Texas.
