After missing out by a whisker last time around, Vic Schaefer finally got his hands on the gold. The Texas Longhorns defeated Dawn Staley’s South Carolina on Sunday to win their first SEC tournament. But for head coach Schaefer, it wasn’t just silverware; it was a testament to the ideals he has embedded in the program.
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The reality set in at the post-game press conference when Schaefer was asked about his team’s discipline on the court during the Championship game, which the Gamecocks lost 78-61. In reply, the Texas head coach shed light on his team’s strong mentality and focus, that has been able to inject in the team over the years.
“I do think when you are demanding and when you place a value on being disciplined, I said it last night, either you’re coaching it or allowing it,” Schaefer said. “And, if you’re going to allow undisciplined play, if you’re going to allow people to go half tail or you’re going to allow kids to not be focused, then you’re going to have that team. I do think you can create that and develop it, just like you develop toughness.”
“I think your competitive drills in practice help create that toughness factor, and I think our kids are battle-tested, they’re tested in practice. They go against each other; they go against our men’s practice team every day. They are competitors, and then the schedule we’ve played, they’re battle tested,” he added further.
As far as we’ve seen of Schaefer in Texas this season, his assessment makes complete sense. Time and time again, Schaefer has placed a huge bounty on indiscipline and a reluctant mindset on the court. Schaefer wants his players to wage war on the court. But when things go south, he doesn’t hesitate to publicly scrutinize them.
“Some of us left our hearts back in Austin, Texas,” was the exact stern statement of Schaefer in the presser after his team’s loss against Vanderbilt last month. This adds weight to the tough, winning culture he wants to bring to the program. His methods have come under fire from the community at times. But Schaefer seems to care the least about it. And his decision to stick to his process eventually gave him the deserved flowers in the form of an SEC Championship in just the program’s second year in the conference.
The Longhorns team showcased the exact same toughness and discipline that Schaefer demands of them. Name any metric that you can from the game, and his team has outplayed Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks.
It’s true that the Longhorns did commit a high number of fouls, sending the Gamecocks to the line 23 times. But the team’s relentless defense and hot shooting throughout the game more than compensated for these errors. After all, scoring 54% from open and 57% from deep against a formidable defense like the Gamecocks isn’t an easy feat.
Moreover, holding the Gamecocks to just 25% from the 3-point line and forcing them into 14 turnovers was immensely commendable. And head coach Vic Schaefer quietly knew that, though it may seem like an overall effort, the fall of the win was shouldered by one special player.
Vic Schaefer Heaps Praise on Madison Booker for Her SEC Championship Performance
Behind the historic win over Gamecocks, it was forward Madison Booker who pulled the strings from the frontcourt for Texas. 18 points with 8 of 15 from open play, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists with 0 turnovers defined her night. She did receive support from her teammates: Justice Carlton (15 points) and Jordan Lee (12 points). But it was Booker’s outing that set the tone for Texas in the SEC finals.
And head coach Schaefer didn’t hesitate to highlight this performance in his presser. “I think she’s more efficient this year,” Schaefer said. “She’s always been efficient, but the kid shoots over 50% (51.6). She’s not a volume kind, and her numbers are up in every category (18.9 ppg). Field goal percentage, average points, steals, and assists are kind of the same.”
But Booker’s efficiency isn’t bound by the points column. It transcends that in terms of a playmaking role. With Rori Harmon leading the team in assists (6.3 assists per game), Booker’s contribution (3.9 assists per game) in this spectrum goes quietly unnoticed. But Schaefer shed light on this role perfectly in her presser.
“I mean, what people don’t really understand is that kid enjoys the assist as much as the bucket. There’s a lot of players that like to score and that’s what they do. But they don’t have the skill set to do much else. Madison Booker has got the skill set to do anything and everything.”
With the win, the Longhorns have bid automatic qualification to the March Madness. It will be another opportunity for Vic Schaefer and co to register history for the program by subsequently winning the National Championships for the first time since 1986. What’s your opinion on their March Madness hopes? Do let us know in the comments.