Texas tops Arkansas, extends streak to 15

? Stacy Stephens leads Texas in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. She had a typical performance Tuesday night.

Stephens had 16 points and 14 rebounds and Heather Schreiber added 20 as Texas won its 15th straight game, 67-50 over Arkansas in the West Regional.

“Stacy was so tough. She amazes me how physical she can play,” Texas coach Jody Conradt said. “She answered all the challenges when the ball came inside.

The second-seeded Longhorns (27-5), making their 19th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, will play Minnesota in the round of 16 Sunday in Stanford, Calif.

Shameka Christon led seventh-seeded Arkansas (22-11) with 16 points.

The Razorbacks stayed with Texas at the start because of their three-point shooting. Three three-pointers by India Lewis and two by Christon gave Arkansas an early 15-14.

“We had to take what was working for us early,” Arkansas coach Gary Blair said. “We’re not a great three-point shooting team, but we’re a streaky three-point shooting team.”

When Schreiber hit a jumper to give Texas the lead for good with 14:01 left in the half, the Longhorns started pulling away and there was little Arkansas could do. Schreiber hit another basket and a free throw, and Stephens got two putbacks while Arkansas went four minutes without a basket.

“Heather and Stacy complement each other very well,” Conradt said. “It’s hard to defend both of them.”

Texas led 38-29 at halftime. Jamie Carey opened the second half with a three-pointer to give the Longhorns a 12-point lead, and Arkansas never came closer than eight points after that.

“It seemed like they outbattled us,” Lewis said.

After hitting five three-pointers in the first five minutes, the Razorbacks hit only two more the rest of the game.

“I didn’t think three-pointers were going to carry us,” Christon said. “We needed more inside.”

That’s where Stephens and Schreiber ruled. Texas got 38 points in the paint to 18 for Arkansas, and the Longhorns had a 52-36 edge in rebounds.

“It wasn’t easy at all,” Stephens said. “It was a total team effort. I was trying to hit the boards hard.”