Texas women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer didn’t hold back in voicing his frustration with the SEC scheduling format following the Longhorns’ 70-65 loss to LSU Tigers women’s basketball on Jan. 11, calling the setup unfair after Texas faced consecutive road games against conference heavyweights.
“They obviously have a vendetta against Texas because not only have we started in the league, and I get to play South Carolina twice last year, this year, I get LSU twice,” Schaefer said, as reported by Meghan L. Hall of USA Today. “I have to play South Carolina on the road this year, as well as LSU. I get them back-to-back in the same week. Now, make that make sense.”
The loss marked the first defeat of the season for second-ranked Texas (18-1, 3-1 SEC). Schaefer did not mince words about his disappointment, both with the schedule and his team’s performance.
“The league is hard enough as it is, but then to bless me, me and my group, with that, it really has a stench to it,” Schaefer said. “I’m really disappointed in the league for putting our kids in that position, but we play whoever’s in front of us.”
LSU (16-2, 2-2) controlled much of the game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, leading the entire second half. Mikaylah Williams scored 20 points for the Tigers, punctuating the win with a shot-clock-beating 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining. Texas never pulled closer than five points afterward.
Madison Booker led the Longhorns with 24 points, while Kyla Oldacre added 16 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. The Longhorns struggled with ball security, committing 17 turnovers in a defensive-heavy contest where both teams scored well below their season averages; LSU came into the game averaging 101.8 points and Texas 91.9, according to Brett Martel of the Associated Press.
Schaefer acknowledged the SEC’s difficulty, calling it “one monster after another,” and added he understands the challenge after eight seasons coaching at Mississippi State. Still, he said the schedule warrants scrutiny.
“Unless somebody from my university stands up and says, ‘Hey, what in the hell is going on here?’ nobody does anything, and that’s my frustration,” Schaefer said.
Texas travels to No. 3 South Carolina on Thursday, while LSU visits No. 5 Oklahoma on Sunday.
