The Texas Longhorns vs the Mississippi Volunteers NCAAW game had two winners. The Texas side took the ‘W’ 75-73 scoreline while the losing team on paper had a morale victory with their performance. Coach Kim Caldwell’s brutal wake-up call pushed the team to the limit, which is a must for the side looking to make it into the March Madness. Interestingly, coach Vic Schaefer could relate to the same.
In the post-game interview, coach Caldwell expressed satisfaction despite the loss, which is what the Longhorns coach would have felt.
Vic Schaefer Repeats Tactics Used During Mississippi State
After a humiliating loss against Vanderbilt, the 64-year-old coach slammed his team, calling them soft. Kim Caldwell also had a similar interaction with her team after a 40-point loss to South Carolina. Both coaches saw a positive impact on the court after their tactics.
“This isn’t the first time that I’ve challenged a team. I’ve had a team at Mississippi State, I challenged about this time of year after we had a stinker at home against Kentucky, and they went on a run and made it to the Final Four and played for the national championship. I’m too far down the road to change, and holding kids accountable, myself accountable, I owe it to them to do that,” Schaefer said in a post-game interview.
The Texas side was in the final four last year and will look to take the next step with an experienced coach. They will, though, have a tough challenge from the UConn team, which has already built a substantial lead in the Big East with dominant early conference wins.
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While Texas recorded a win over Mississippi, the coach compared his position with Kim Caldwell’s.
Vic Schaefer Defends Opponent Coach From Critics
NCAAW had been in existence for many years, and top teams left their mark on the prestigious tournament. Texas and Tennessee are two programs that were consistently in title contention discussions but recently experienced a slight dip in performance. Coach Schaefer highlighted the demanding jobs they have.
“At the end of the day, I don’t think anybody out there wants to walk in coach Caldwell’s or my shoes. At two of the most tradition-rich women’s basketball programs in the history of the game. In my opinion, Texas, Tennessee and Stanford, those people didn’t show up in the 90s. Those schools have been here since day one,” Schaefer said.
"I don't think anybody out there wants to walk in Coach Caldwell's or mine shoes."
— Paige Dauer (@PaigeDauerFDP) February 15, 2026
"We're not here to be good. Good will get you fired."
"Before you go criticizing coaches… on social media, you come walk in their shoes."
"Other than their parents, nobody loves them more… pic.twitter.com/L10aDNQNoJ
Eams mentioned that it demands high standards and expectations, which is a constant pressure for the coach and player. He added that tremendous effort is required to keep them on top, and hence, the ‘challenges’ are needed.