FORT WORTH – On Monday evening, No. 1 Texas (34-3) and No. 2 Michigan (28-6) will play for a spot in the upcoming Final Four in Phoenix.
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Texas and Michigan last met during the 2018-19 season, but that doesn’t mean the Wolverines are unfamiliar with their upcoming opponent. On Sunday morning at Dickies Arena, Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico, sophomore guards Olivia Olson and Syla Swords and senior guard Brooke Quarles Daniels met with the media. Here is what the Wolverines had to say about Texas:
FILE – Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico talks with Michigan guard Syla Swords (12) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against UConn, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File(
Jessica Hill/Associated Press
On similarities between Texas, Michigan and their defensive styles
Barnes Arico: “They are similar. I mean, we’re trying to get to that level of being a consistent Final Four team and having the experience that they have. But you know, both Madison Booker, Rori Harmon started as young players in this program and are where they are today and have a tremendous amount of experience and growth. They only have three losses on the season, and that’s due to their team sticking together, that core group.
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“But the way that they pressure, the way that they get up, the way that they defend, their toughness, how relentless they are, I mean, those are things that our program definitely prides itself on. Our rebounding, another thing we really pride ourselves on.”
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Swords: “I would say obviously they have an advantage and sense of they’re more experienced than we are. They have Rori Harmon… who (has) played five years in college or Madison Booker, who has played for team USA, and that’s just an advantage in itself just seeing that they’ve been in positions like this, played in Elite Eight games, having the game being played in Texas.
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“But it’s nothing that we’re afraid of, and we’re excited to match up against the best of the best. Excited to test ourselves and ultimately we have each other’s back through any team that we’re going to play against.”
Quarles Daniels: “We both pride ourselves on our presses, and that’s where the majority of our points come from. When you do have a fifth-year veteran point guard running your team, you do have a little bit more expertise in that way.
“Vic Schaefer is an amazing coach. He always finds a way to get his team in these big moments and just being in the Texas crowd, too, but I think ultimately, it’s going to come down to grit and defense as well.”
Texas Longhorns guard Rori Harmon (3) is interviewed after winning the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 game against Kentucky at Dickies Arena on Saturday, March 28, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
On Texas point guard Rori Harmon
Barnes Arico: “Texas, I mean, you have Rori Harmon, who is arguably one of the best point guards in the country that plays both ways. She defends her butt off, 94 feet, as well as playing offense at a really, really high level. When you have someone that’s willing to sacrifice and play that hard (on) both ends of the floor, I think that’s really special, and that’s really rare. We feel like our players do the same thing, but you know, that’s hard to do.
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“It’s not easy to be a point guard and to handle that type of pressure and to run your team and to get everyone involved and all the things that you have to do on the offensive end, but then to be your team’s igniter on the defensive end, that’s really special.”
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Quarles Daniels: “She’s a seasoned player. Fifth-year starter. She’s going to be a great match-up for us, and I think it’s going to be a great game ahead of it.”
On Texas forward Madison Booker
Barnes Arico: “Madison Booker, sometimes you catch yourself watching her going, ‘Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh.’ Like, is that going to go in? Is that going to go in? Pretty much they go in.
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“She is just phenomenal. Her pull-up game, you can put it with anyone in the world, and I think she would win that contest. She just has a knack for the goal. I mean, she shoots it, and the ball goes in. So she is just a really, really special player.”
Texas Longhorns guard Jordan Lee (7) dribbles the ball during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 game against Kentucky at Dickies Arena on Saturday, March 28, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
On Texas guard Jordan Lee
Barnes Arico: “Jordan Lee is someone that I recruited for a really long time. You know, I’ve gotten to know her. I’ve gotten to know her family. I know she wants to be a doctor and I know how important her academic piece is, but how driven she is. She reminds me of our kids.
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“She’s in that same class with, you know, Olivia and Syla and Mila (Holloway) and our big sophomore class. I recruited her. She played USA Basketball with some of them. Our kids really know her well. I really know her well.
“Just who she is reminds me of our players. Just driven at a really high level. Just unselfish. I mean, she’s on a team with these superstars and these All-Americans, and she finds her role and is able to contribute on a great team.”
On Texas guard Aaliyah Crump
Olson: “We played each other in high school when she was at Minnetonka (both Crump and Olson hail from Minnesota), and she’s a great player. I loved playing with her, and I’m really kind of proud of the Minnesota players and how they’ve risen and what she’s doing at Texas. I’m excited. She’s a three-level scorer, and it’s going to be a great match-up.”
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