By james art 
When the last seconds dropped in the second quarter, Texas freshman Bryana Preston grabbed the ball from Missouri, preventing the tigers from entering the third quarter with something more than two points.
It was a change in the inertia that # 5 Longhorns desperately needed after going into the start of the start in the first half of the game against Unnanked Tigers.
“I think the possession leading to half made us change our thinking, change the way we play, as our pace of the game,” said the sophomore Madison Booker. “This possession right there, this stopping of defense really made us continue.”
It took Booker 12 minutes and 52 seconds to make his first shot at night, but after he continued, the game turned and ended with a 70-61 win for Longhorns.
The slow start of Texas against Mizzou is not his first season, winning Tennessee with 4 and Ole Miss with 3.
As the chief coach Vic Schaefer always says, winning the southeast conference is difficult. And it was definitely a difficult game for an exhausted bench in Texas, which lacked senior striker Alia Moore and athletic coach, both with the flu.
Senior striker Taylor Jones also helped maintain Texas in running all night, especially with the nine points she put in the first quarter. Jones ended the game with a maximum of 17 points, dealing with the title of SEC of the week, which he received on Tuesday after excellent performances in the two previous ranked wins.
Shefer holds his team to a high standard, regardless of the opponent or circumstances. Players of veterans like senior keeper Shai Chole understand this and know that the level at which the team played in the first half was not good enough for Schaefer or them.
“My thinking is always just trying to play this standard,” said Hole. “I know how he wants to do things and what he wants to do, so I try to do.”
Although it may not have been the most beautiful or honest victory that Longhorns has had this season, they still have to add to the victory column at the end of the night.