The Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team led by head coach Vic Schaefer just had their third consecutive season reaching at least 33 wins. They also reached their second consecutive Final Four, losing 51-44 to the eventual national champion UCLA Bruins in a hard-fought but at times very hard to watch national semifinal matchup.
Not since the great Jody Conradt stalked the sidelines in Austin has the program had this much sustained success, and according to the aforementioned Schaefer outgoing point guard Rori Harmon is a huge reason why the program has joined the likes of South Carolina, UConn and UCLA in back-to-back Final Fours. In the aftermath of Friday’s heartbreaking and Texas career-ending game for Harmon, the super senior was emotional, as were her coach and teammates, and most of it was for her and what she’s meant to the program.
Schaefer Speaks Up For Harmon
In his postgame interview, Schaefer didn’t mince his words when speaking on his relationship with Harmon who’s been his floor general for five seasons. The legendary coach who took Mississippi State to the 2017 title game, losing to Dawn Staley, A’ja Wilson and the Gamecocks spoke very highly of Harmon and how he feels she’s been snubbed for awards and national recognition.
“Rori Harmon has scored 1,616 points, 977 assists, 659 rebounds, and 388 steals. Not one agency has ever voted her All-American,” Schaefer said. “There’s not another player in the history of our game — you hear me? — not another player in the history of our game that has had those stats.”
“She’s won 137 games. You might as well get rid of whatever awards you got if she ain’t good enough to get one of ’em,” he continued.
Schaefer also stressed her impact on defense and her leadership, saying she “could guard your ass at the city limit and show you the door when she’s done with you,” and added, “You want to talk about somebody that’s hard to replace. We may never replace her.” He went further, criticizing the lack of national acknowledgment: “Shame on you… there’s not another player in the history of our game… that’s done what Rori Harmon did.”
Teammates Love Harmon As Well
Schaefer wasn’t alone in singing the praises of Harmon, Longhorns star Madison Booker, who played the worst game of her otherwise stellar collegiate career in Friday’s loss, going 3-for-23 from the floor and scoring just six points, raved about her big sister.
“That’s my sister… I’ve learned so much from her,” Booker said. “I still think she’s one of the best defenders in the country… I don’t think people give her her flowers enough.” She added, “She led this team to back-to-back Final Fours… I wouldn’t be me without Rori Harmon. That’s a fact.”
Harmon quickly defended Booker against any negativity following Friday’s loss. During the postgame presser Booker, the first-team All-American tried to take all the blame, telling everyone the loss was on her, but Harmon interceded and wouldn’t let her.
“You got to realize, (Madison Booker) is human. She’s a basketball player,” Harmon said. “I truly told Maddie, ‘I don’t care.’ I don’t care what your statistics look like. There was plenty of other things that caused us to lose the game, not just because Madison (Booker) missed her money midrange, because I promise you we’ll continue to go back to her, we’ll continue to look for her, we’ll continue to tell her to take her shot.”
Schaefer Talks Harmon’s WNBA Chances
With her collegiate career now over, the electric lead guard will now enter the WNBA draft, and her current draft projection is mid-second round between picks 13-18. While that may sound good to many, Schaefer has other ideas for his point guard.
“If I had a job in the WNBA, (she’d) be the first one I’d go get. She can run your team. She has no ego,” Schaefer said.
“If you want somebody that’s going to set the tone … you go get her because she’s good.”
Best Fits For Harmon
Known for her high IQ, elite defense, elite assist-to-turnover ratio, tenacious perimeter defense, ability to score in the midrange, and strong leadership/court vision, Harmon would fit nicely with a few teams.
Teams like the Seattle Storm, Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun, who will be moving to Houston after this season, could use a player like Harmon.