Texas Women's Basketball Aims for 10,000 Fans Against Georgia

Late 9 p.m. tip-off time poses challenge, but Longhorns coach Schaefer offers $10,000 donation to community program if goal is met.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 11:10pm

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The Texas women's basketball team is set to host the 23rd-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Thursday night at Moody Center, but the game won't tip off until 9 p.m. due to its placement on the SEC Network schedule. Despite the late start time, which coach Schaefer acknowledged will be tough on the visiting Georgia team, Texas is hoping to draw a crowd of 10,000 fans for the final regular-season home game. If the 10,000 ticket goal is met, Schaefer has pledged to donate $10,000 of his own money to the Neighborhood Longhorns Program, an educational outreach initiative for local Title I school students.

Why it matters

Texas has struggled with attendance in the past, but the team's popularity has grown in recent years as they've become a national powerhouse. The "10K for 10K" promotion is an effort to further engage the community and raise money for an important educational program, while also providing a boost in fan support for the team's final home game of the regular season.

The details

Texas is currently ranked 4th in the country and has a 26-3 record, while Georgia is ranked 23rd with a 21-7 record. The late 9 p.m. tip-off time is highly unusual for a Texas home game, with only two other post-8 p.m. home games in the last two decades. Coach Schaefer acknowledged the challenge this poses, especially for the visiting Georgia team which is in the Eastern time zone. However, Texas has successfully hit the 10,000 fan mark for each of Schaefer's previous "10K for 10K" promotions, raising $150,000 for the Neighborhood Longhorns Program last season.

  • Thursday, February 25, 2026 - Texas hosts Georgia at 9 p.m.
  • Sunday, February 27, 2026 - Texas plays at Alabama with an 11 a.m. tip-off

The players

Vic Schaefer

Head coach of the Texas women's basketball team.

Rori Harmon

Fifth-year guard for the Texas women's basketball team.

Katie Abrahamson-Henderson

Head coach of the Georgia women's basketball team, who Schaefer praised as a candidate for SEC Coach of the Year.

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What they’re saying

“I can't imagine what Georgia is thinking there. That's 10 o'clock at night, body-wise for them.”

— Vic Schaefer, Head Coach, Texas Women's Basketball (statesman.com)

“I couldn't even tell you (what our attendance was), it was a pretty low number.”

— Rori Harmon, Fifth-Year Guard, Texas Women's Basketball (statesman.com)

“I love what the impact is that the Neighborhood Longhorns Program has in our community, and I think our supporters of this event do as well.”

— Vic Schaefer, Head Coach, Texas Women's Basketball (statesman.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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