She wanted him to go back to their small-ball lineup that included both point guards Rori Harmon and Bryanna Preston on the floor together. They had finished the first quarter combined for a plus-11 in the stat column — the only quarter the top-seeded Longhorns had won to that point against fifth-seeded Tennessee.
It took Schaefer one minute into the fourth quarter to sub in Preston, and the freshman point guard changed the game for Texas.
With 7:46 left and Texas trailing by two points, Preston jumped a pass across the top of the key and fought through the Tennessee player to score on the fastbreak to tie the game. Tennessee answered with a basket and then Preston tied the game again. Two possessions later, with Texas up by two, she forced another steal and assisted a Madison Booker basket that put Texas ahead by four, a lead the Longhorns would never relinquish.
That sequence was Preston in a nutshell, the freshman guard Schaefer called “lightning in a bottle” the first time he saw her play.
“That’s her every day in practice and every day in life. The kid has juice,” Lovato said.
“They prepared for this moment.” 🙌
Rori Harmon has high praise for freshmen Bryanna Preston and Jordan Lee, who combined for 25 points off the bench in the Sweet Sixteen win.#MarchMadness x @TexasWBBpic.twitter.com/68JgxAxATe
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 29, 2025
That was Preston’s signature NCAA moment. She scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting with four assists and three steals to help spark Texas’ 67-59 victory that punched its ticket to the Elite Eight on Monday against TCU.
A year ago, Preston was a high school senior who couldn’t wait to put on the Texas uniform and play in the biggest moments the sport has to offer. On Saturday she lived it and showed the country that not only does Texas have an elite guard in Harmon, but when this season is over, Schaefer already has her replacement waiting in the wings.
And she’s not running from the pressure, because her mindset is simple. “Compete,” she said.
During Preston’s official visit, Harmon was her host. An elite guard in her own right, Harmon was surprised by something Preston told her that weekend.
“She said she wanted to come here and learn from me,” Harmon said. “When somebody thinks that about you, don’t let them down.”
When Texas recruited Preston, the staff didn’t promise her that she’d get starter-level playing time right away. She didn’t get it, either. Coming into Saturday’s Sweet 16, Preston was content with averaging 12 minutes a game and Preston.
She was serious about learning from Harmon. Preston absorbed early advice from Harmon: A leader doesn’t have to be a senior. Preston had to lead as a point guard. She couldn’t turn the ball over and had to knock down shots.
“I live with that every day,” Preston said.
Since that time, Preston and Harmon have built a close relationship. They ...
