AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas defense came through when it had to, and a pair of freshmen were terrific on the offense, lifting the Longhorns to a 67-59 win over Tennessee in the women's Sweet 16 on Saturday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. Texas held the Lady Volunteers to nine points in th e fourth quarter, keeping them off the board for the final 3:43 to clinch a berth in the Elite Eight for the fourth time in five seasons. Tennessee committed nine turnovers in the fourth quarter and made just four field goals, meanwhile, the Longhorns knocked down six shots and five free throws in the frame. Texas guard Jordan Lee (7) puts up a shot over Tennessee guard Kaniya Boyd (4) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Texas guard Bryanna Preston reacts after a play during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Tennessee, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) chases down a loose ball during the first half against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) and Tennessee guard Ruby Whitehorn (2) fight for a loose ball during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Texas head coach Vic Schaefer calls out from the bench during the second half against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell talks to an official during the second half against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee forward Zee Spearman (11) shoots against Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) and Tennessee forward Zee Spearman (11) battle under the basket during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Tess Darby (21) reacts after being fouled by Texas forward Madison Booker (35) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas forward Madison Booker (35) and Tennessee guard Talaysia Cooper (55) chase down a loose ball during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) blocks Tennessee guard Jewel Spear at the basket during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) goes to the basket against Tennessee forward Zee Spearman (11) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Ruby Whitehorn (2) drives to the basket against Texas guard Rori Harmon during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Ruby Whitehorn (2) shoots against Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)The Tennessee reacts during the second half against Texas in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Tess Darby (21) reacts after being fouled during the second half against Texas in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee forward Alyssa Latham (33) passes away from Texas forward Madison Booker after chasing down a loose ball during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Jewel Spear (0) drives to the basket against Texas forward Madison Booker during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Ruby Whitehorn (2) grabs a rebound against Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas forward Madison Booker and Tennessee guard Talaysia Cooper (55) chase down a loose ball during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) pulls down a rebound against Tennessee forward Alyssa Latham (33) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Kaniya Boyd (4) and Texas forward Madison Booker chase down a loose ball during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Talaysia Cooper (55) dribbles around Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) as she drives to the basket during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Texas guard Bryanna Preston (1) brings the ball down court against Tennessee during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) goes in for a layup against Tennessee during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Tennessee guard Ruby Whitehorn, center, tries to grab the ball away from Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) tries to save a ball from going out of bounds during the second half against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Tennessee forward Zee Spearman (11) is blocked as she goes to the basket against Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Tennessee guard Ruby Whitehorn (2) drives to the basket against Texas guard Rori Harmon during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025. in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas guard Bryanna Preston (1) drives to the basket around Tennessee forward Alyssa Latham (33) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell said Texas sped them up in the fourth quarter, which led to the inefficiency. "(Texas) did such a good job taking us out of our offense, rushing us into some shots and forcing turnovers down the stretch when we needed to get some shots off," she said. Madison Booker, a first-team all-American, did her thing and scored a game-high 17 points on 6-for-15 shooting, but freshmen Bryanna Preston and Jordan Lee came up big. In the fast-paced, high-pressure style Tennessee likes to play, the Longhorns countered with a quicker lineup that was more adept at ball-handling and included the duo. Preston and Lee scored 25 points and kept the Lady Vols' terrific guards in check. How many perfect brackets remain in the women’s NCAA tournament, according to ESPN? Lee hit all three of Texas' 3-pointers to finish with 13 points, and Preston got to the rim with regularity and scored 12 on 5-for-7 shooting. "These freshmen might have been the difference today," Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said. "I knew this was going to be a knock-down, drag-out, and this is our juice. This is our energy. They really stepped up today." Lee averaged 19 minutes per game, and Preston was at 12.5 minutes before the tournament began, but since the matchup called for it, they both emptied the tank. Lee logged 33 minutes and Preston played 27, and the Longhorns needed all of them to get back to the regional final. Harmon’s competitive spirit driving top-seeded Longhorns into Sweet 16 "My teammates know that I'm capable, my coaches encourage me, and I take that out on the court and just play hard," Preston said. "I'm here to compete." Lee is perhaps the biggest threat from the perimeter for the Longhorns, and when they needed a big shot from outside, she was ready to take it. She nailed a 3-pointer to give the Longhorns a 50-49 lead with 0:25 left in the third quarter. She hit one earlier in the frame to put Texas up 41-34 with 6:57 left, their biggest lead of the quarter. Preston hit a layup with 7:02 left in the game to tie it at 54-54, and then Booker scored consecutive buckets to complete a 6-0 flurry. Schaefer said Preston and Lee are "cerebral" and "really smart," and that's the kind of player he wants to recruit. MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters "Jordan Lee may be doing open heart surgery in 10 years," Schaefer said. "Both are extremely smart and their competitive spirits are off the chart. It's really special to have freshmen like that." Texas finished plus-four in the turnover battle, forcing 18 while committing 14, and held the nation's top-scoring team to nearly 30 points below their season average. The Longhorns outscored the Lady Vols 40-36 in the paint and 10-2 in transition points. Taylor Jones had 12 points and eight rebounds, while Rori Harmon chipped in eight points with four rebounds and four assists. Texas shot 47% from the field, 27 for 58, and Tennessee shot 38% at 25 for 66. For the Lady Vols, Ruby Whitehorn scored 16 on 7-for-13 shooting and Zee Spearman scored 13 of 6 of 11 shooting. Tennessee outrebounded Texas 39-36, including 17-9 on the offensive end. Texas (34-3) tied the school record for wins in a season. They'll take on second-seeded TCU at 6 p.m. Monday for a berth in the Final Four. Tennessee ended the season with a 24-10 record. ...read more read less