When it comes to offensive rebounding, Texas women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer has a consistent message for his post players.
“Coach’s favorite words (are) ‘Don’t get punked,'” senior center Kyla Oldacre said.
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Oldacre was speaking to reporters Thursday in the aftermath of a 97-36 win over Auburn at Moody Center. In that 61-point blowout, Texas grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and scored 23 second-chance points.Â
Texas Longhorns forward Kyla Oldacre (00) jumps for.a rebound during the game against Auburn at the Moody Center on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
That seems like a recipe for success this season for No. 2Â Texas (18-0), which has joined No. 1 UConn (16-0), No. 7 Vanderbilt (16-0) and No. 17 Texas Tech (17-0) as the only undefeated teams left in Division I. Texas is averaging 15.6 offensive rebounds per game, ranking 29th nationally and fifth in the Southeastern Conference. The Longhorns’ 281 offensive rebounds have led to 326 second-chance points and 19.7% of UT’s offensive production.
Continued Oldacre: “Today, and here on out, that’s our job is to not get punked. (We need to) make sure the boards is ours, and to be aggressive, crash into the boards at all costs.”
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Kyla Oldacre, Justice Carlton lead Texas in offensive rebounding
Texas has grabbed more offensive rebounds than its opponent in 17 of its 18 games. The Longhorns have yet to lose the battle of second-chance points. Texas has had a size advantage against many of the teams it has played, but it also got the best of both UCLA (12 offensive rebounds and 16 second-chance points to the Bruins’ nine and nine Nov. 26) and South Carolina (16 offensive rebounds and 12 second-chance points to the Gamecocks’ 11 and eight Nov. 27).
“I think getting on the boards on a high-transition team, a heavy-transition team that’s really fast, is really important,” sophomore forward Justice Carlton said.
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More:After an uncharacteristic outing, Texas PG Rori Harmon bounces back against Auburn
Three Longhorns — the 6-foot-6 Oldacre (3.3), the 6-1 Carlton (2.8) and the 6-1 Madison Booker (2.0) — are snagging at least two offensive rebounds per game, and 6-4 forward Breya Cunningham is averaging 1.9. Both Oldacre and Carlton are averaging more offensive than defensive rebounds this season.
“We talk about all the time, you win with guard play, but you win championships with guard play and size,” Schaefer said after the Auburn game. “I’m proud of our size. I’m proud of our energy and effort to get on the boards.”
The single-season record for offensive rebounds at Texas belongs to Charli Collier, who had 137 during Schaefer’s first year in Austin. The 114 missed shots by Longhorns that Oldacre rebounded last season rank eighth in the UT record books.
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Texas Longhorns forward Breya Cunningham (25) jumps for a rebound during the game against Auburn at the Moody Center on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
LSUÂ has also established a rebounding reputation
Up next for Texas, which is 3-0 in SEC play, is a trip this Sunday to play No. 12 LSU (15-2, 1-2). This is the first of two conference clashes against LSU for Texas, which will host the Tigers on Feb. 5.
More:Media, coaches still ranking Longhorns behind UConn
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In each of the past three seasons, LSU has had one of college basketball’s top rebounders on its team. Angel Reese ranked behind only BYU’s Lauren Gustin in total rebounding during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, and Aneesah Morrow won the Division I rebounding title last season.
Reese, though, now plays for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA. Morrow is part of the Connecticut Sun.
But despite the losses of those players, LSU is so far giving up just 11.5 offensive rebounds per game. That is a lower average than what LSU allowed during the past two seasons. LSU also leads the country with the 18.6 offensive rebounds it is snagging per game, although that average has dipped to 10.3 in SEC play.
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So who is LSU’s top rebounder this winter? That would be Amiya Joyner, a 6-foot-2 forward who ranks 187th nationally with her average of 7.2 total rebounds per game. Joiner spent her first three years of college at East Carolina, and she grabbed eight rebounds in a 2023 NCAA Tournament game against Texas in Austin.