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Jun 11, 2023

Texas Longhorns women's basketball: DeYona Gaston's career night helps turn away Kansas

by: Billy Gates Posted: Feb 4, 2023 / 07:36 PM CST Updated: Feb 4,

by: Billy Gates

Posted: Feb 4, 2023 / 07:36 PM CST

Updated: Feb 4, 2023 / 07:36 PM CST

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KXAN) — The No. 24 Texas Longhorns women's basketball team used a 20-12 advantage in the fourth quarter to edge the Kansas Jayhawks 68-65 on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Texas forward DeYona Gaston poured in a career-high 24 points on 12-of-20 shooting with eight points in the final frame to help seal the win. Sonya Morris was the other Longhorn who scored in double figures with 13 points and Khadija Faye ripped down 10 rebounds with blocked three shots.

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With 4:33 left in the game, Gaston hit a jumper to give the Longhorns the lead for good. Rori Harmon followed that with a jumper to stretch the lead to four points with 3:34 left, and the teams traded buckets from there.

While the Jayhawks shot for a higher percentage from the field, the Longhorns made two more field goals. Texas shot 28-for-66 for 42% while Kansas was 26-of-52 from the field for 50%. Texas forced 21 turnovers and scored 15 points off of them. The Longhorns committed 11 turnovers.

Kansas pounded Texas in the paint with a 44-26 advantage and outrebounded them 37-33, but Texas had 14 steals and nine blocked shots to help make up for those.

For the Jayhawks, center Taiyanna Jackson scored 21 points on 9-of-11 shootings with 13 rebounds. Zakiyah Franklin scored 20 points and Wyvette Mayberry pitched in 12 for the Jayhawks, but no other Kansas player scored more than five points.

It's the fifth consecutive win for the Longhorns (18-6, 9-2 Big 12 Conference) and it keeps them in first place in the Big 12. The team returns to Austin on Wednesday to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

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