Texas Women's Basketball Preseason Preview via Globl Jam

As the upcoming 2025/2026 College Basketball season creeps upon us, we are pleased to present our Canadian correspondent, Layth Dahman's, final analysis of his Globl Jam article series. In this feature, Layth's notes provide an in depth look at the Texas Longhorns Women's Basketball team, as they were the collegiate program to represent the USA, for this years iteration of Globl Jam. Fresh off a Final Four run, and with a reloaded roster, to rank them as the Women's NCAA Preseason #4 overall team, the Lady Longhorns fierce competitiveness, even through a shortcoming in the final game of the event against the Canadian U23 WNT, makes them an much intriguing contender for this years Final Four, once again.

Style of Play:

The Texas Longhorns play fast in transition after defensive stops or rebounds, using

multiple guards and ball-handlers who advance the ball with speed, explosiveness, and

tight handles to reach the rim, break down defenses, or take dribble-pull up mid-range

shots. They also employ back to the basket plays in transition, with a ball-handler

quickly advancing and a big posting up, as they lack rim running bigs. Their dribble pull-

up mid-range jumpers are less effective due to flat shots requiring rhythm.

In the half-court, Texas relies heavily on post up offense, leveraging size, strength, and

physicality for deep post positioning or sealing defenders, allowing high passes only

they can reach. They exploit mismatches against smaller defenders, quickly getting

shots off in the post for an early, efficient offense. They excel in the mid-range, with

players constantly moving off the ball, using handoffs, side to side ball movement,

pindowns, and off-ball screens to fluidly get to their shots.

As an inside-out team, their offense focuses on post ups, drives, and mid-range shots,

opening three-point opportunities later when opponents counter their interior play. While

not a volume three-point shooting team, they have players who can hit catch and shoot

threes, maintaining effective spacing. Their size advantage secures extra possessions

and second-chance points through offensive rebounds.

Defensively, Texas employs a heavy full-court press, denying inbounds passes to force

steals or deflections, defining their defensive identity. This scheme generates turnovers

and quick scores. They pressure ball-handlers from the backcourt, using strength and

physicality to impede half-court advancement. Their strong, physical guards, with lateral

quickness and a low base, navigate picks without frequent switching. Undersized

guards compensate for their lack of size with rim pressure on offense and pesky

defense.

______________________________________________________________________

Player Analysis:

Rori Harmon | G | 5'6" | Sr. | 22 Years Old, Team | 2026 Draft Year

Rori Harmon, Texas's primary ball-handler, plays at a fast pace, attacking in transition

with quickness and explosiveness to reach the rim. As a strong, physical guard, she

shields defenders, keeping them on her hip or behind her, and her low drives challenge

bigger players lacking footspeed. Unafraid of contact, she absorbs it, creates bumps,

and frequently gets to the free-throw line. She can also hit dribble pull-up jumpers in

transition, using good lift and elevation to shoot over taller defenders. She creates

quality looks for teammates, vocally orchestrating the offense with leadership. A willing

passer, she finds open players via dribble penetration, drive and kick, transition plays,

and precise entry passes to the post in the half-court. Her deep paint penetration

attracts defenders, collapsing defenses and setting up high-percentage catch and shoot

threes or dump off passes to bigs. She shows poise making entry passes to the post,

waiting for the post up player to secure deep positioning to exploit mismatches and get

efficient paint shots. She is an elite, hard-nosed defensive guard, versatile in nearly all

defensive situations with a multitude of uses. She guards the opposing team's best

players, making it tough for them to score in one on one isolations. She moves her feet

well, stays in a defensive stance, and has defensive lateral quickness. Her main skillset

is applying backcourt pressure on the ball-handler bringing the ball up, making it tough

for them. She sacrifices her body, taking hits on defense to draw charges and force

possession changes. She is vital in Texas’ heavy full-court press defense, denying the

ball-handler, forcing turnovers, or making it physically demanding to advance the ball.

She fights through picks effectively at her size, moving laterally with a low base,

undeterred by hard screens. She creates offensive opportunities by anticipating and

intercepting passes, leading to easy transition rim attacks. With quick, strong, and active

hands, she strips or pokes the ball away. As an effective off-ball defender, she limits

cuts and three-point line movement, breaking up dribble handoffs with strength and

physicality. As a high motor player, she dives for loose balls and 50-50 balls. Her rim

attacking, defensive tenacity, playmaking, vocal leadership, and relentless energy

embody the ideal qualities of an undersized guard.

Madison Booker | F | 6'1" | Jr. | 20 Years Old | 2027 Draft Year

Madison Booker is a highly unselfish player, balancing her shot selection with involving

teammates. She possesses guard skills at the forward position, serving as one of the

primary ball-handlers in transition with a tight handle for her size. She adeptly changes

speeds and directions, making it challenging for defenders to stay in front. In transition,

she favors dribble pull-up mid-range shots over driving to the rim. On leak-outs, she

runs the floor well but in transition she is used more as a ball-handler. She constantly

moves without the ball, finding open mid-range spaces and relocating effectively. She

fluidly navigates off-ball screens, quickly curling to the mid-range to set up her shot. Her

high release point and size allow her to shoot over smaller defenders, and she creates

separation with step-back jumpers. While not a volume three-point shooter, she

capitalizes on open catch and shoot threes with a quick release and fluid shooting

mechanics. As the tournament moved on, she got more opportunities to be involved in

the pick and roll as a ball-handler where she got to her spots fluidly and effectively for a

mid-range shot. As a willing passer, she finds the open player, knowing teammates’

spots to deliver quality looks and positions them for success. She excels passing in

transition to the leak-out player, drive and kick or dribble penetration, finding post-up

threats, and finding cutters in the half-court. Though less frequent in drive and kick and

dribble penetration, she can drive deep, draw defenders, and kick out for high-

percentage three-point shots. Her high to low post entry passes are well-timed, with

poise, awaiting her teammate to get deep post positioning for scoring. She’s vital to

Texas’s post-heavy half-court offense, making tough passes through tight windows

under pressure, size, and length. Defensively, she fights through picks quickly and

recovers effectively on the pick and roll ball-handler if caught up on a pick.

Breya Cunningham | C | 6'4" | Jr. | 20 Years Old | 2027 Draft Year

Breya Cunningham excels as a post up big and interior presence, using her size,

strength, poise, footwork, and finesse to secure deep post positioning, making her a

tough matchup. She primarily attempts hook shots, seals off defenders, and finishes

over or through them. Teammates deliver high entry passes that only she can reach for

her to catch and score in the paint. She fluidly spins off defenders for high-percentage

paint shots. Her dominance draws double teams, which she counters with angles and

footwork to finish through traffic or earns free-throws due to hard fouls. She absorbs

contact and finishes through it. She is Texas’s go-to post scorer in slowed-down games

when they need a basket. She moves well without the ball, fluidly cutting to the rim and

finding open space in the paint at her size. She also moves along the baseline to set up

post up opportunities, making herself available and showcasing her aggressiveness.

She has a good feel for the game and is in the right spots at the right time. She secures

extra possessions and second-chance opportunities through offensive rebounds while

limiting opponents chances with strong defensive rebounding. She finishes putbacks in

the paint with good touch, making her an efficient scorer. She either scores tip-ins on

putbacks or comes down with the ball to pass to a teammate. Primarily a half-court post

up threat, she also rim runs in transition but rushes rim shots, lacking the touch of her

back to basket post play. Defensively, she protects the rim with weak-side rotations,

contesting or altering shots without allowing easy paint scores. Her shot-blocking

showcases timing and instincts, covering ground vertically without fouling, staying

disciplined to avoid foul trouble. She keeps blocked shots in play, sparking fast-break

opportunities for Texas.

Bryanna Preston | G | 5'9" | So. | 19 Years Old | 2028 Draft Year

Bryanna Preston is a guard who excels at pushing the pace in transition as a leak-out

player and ball-handler. On leak-outs, her quickness and explosiveness allow her to

outrun opponents, filling the lane effectively. As a ball-handler, she aggressively drives

to the rim, using speed and direction changes to evade defenders. Her quick, explosive

shot fake in the paint gets defenders off-balance for higher-quality shots. She struggles

with dribble pull-up mid-range shots. She has a quick release, but it is flat shot lacking

backspin. Defenses sag off, daring her to shoot to limit her paint drives, where she

excels. As a rhythm shooter, her confidence grows with more mid-range attempts,

increasing her shooting rate as the game progresses. She effectively creates offensive

opportunities for teammates. As a guard, she initiates dribble handoffs with strong ball-

handling and delivers precise entry passes to the post. She has poise waiting for the

post player to secure deep positioning before making passes setting them up for a high

percentage shot inside. She is crucial in Texas's half-court offense, facilitating early and

quick post up plays to leverage their size advantage. She is a tenacious defender,

difficult to score against, adept at navigating picks with strong lateral movement. Her

high IQ guides her to go over picks against shooters and under against drivers. She

fights through hard picks to recover and stay in plays. In one on one isolation, her lateral

quickness and footwork allow her to cut off driving lanes, beating opponents to their

spots. Positioned correctly, she draws charges and applies full-court pressure, picking

up ball-handlers in the backcourt. Her speed, strength, and physicality exhaust

opponents, making it tough for them to advance the ball. Despite offensive mistakes or

missed shots, she quickly gets back in transition to contest shots without fouling,

possessing a next play mentality. She denies easy transition scoring and is integral to

Texas's defensive pressure and full-court press, executing it effectively. She denies

inbounds passes, forces turnovers, and creates easy offensive opportunities at the rim

for herself or teammates. Her quick, strong, active hands strip the ball from drivers or

poke it away from ball-handlers.

Ashton Judd | G | 6'1" | Sr. | 21 Years Old | 2026 Draft Year

Ashton Judd, a 2 guard, embodies a shooters mindset, constantly seeking spot-up

threes. As a catch and shoot three-point specialist and volume shooter, she spaces the

floor, enabling teammates to excel inside or in the post. Her quick release, fluid shooting

mechanics, and high release point allow her to shoot over smaller defenders closing out

on her. Always shot-ready, she fires catch and shoot threes without hesitation. When

she is missing her catch and shoot three-pointers she is trying to track down her misses

to get the rebound. Off the ball, she moves well, finds open spaces, relocates, and sets

hard picks and off-ball screens, creating easier, quality looks for teammates. Her attack

on closeouts is limited, with a loose handle leading to turnovers on multiple dribbles and

poor body control in the paint, resulting in low-percentage shots. Later in the

tournament, she adjusted, favoring drive and kick passes to set up teammates over

forced rim shots. Defensively, she sacrifices her body to draw charges, beating

matchups to spots with a strong base and proper positioning. She excels in her team's

press defense, denying catches, sticking with her matchup, and making it tough for

opponents to get open, serving as a defensive glue player.

Teya Sidberry | F | 6'1" | Sr. | 21 Years Old | 2026 Draft Year

Teya Sidberry is a dominant post up threat, exploiting size mismatches and switches

with deep post positioning. Her footwork and finesse allow quick shots before double

teams arrive, favoring hook shots over both shoulders. She runs the floor well,

immediately playing back to the basket in transition. From the post, she makes passes

for quality three-point looks or finds cutters in the paint. Relentless on the offensive

glass, she secures extra possessions and second-chance opportunities, using her body

to block out opponents and position herself for rebounds. She converts putbacks with

poise and a soft finishing touch. She also initiates dribble handoffs and sets hard

screens, freeing teammates for quality shots. Defensively, she picks up ball-handlers in

the backcourt, using size, strength, and physicality to exhaust them. Active in passing

lanes, she generates steals or deflections.

Aaliyah Crump | G | 6'1" | Fr. | 18 Years Old | 2029 Draft Year

Aaliyah Crump, a high-level scorer in limited minutes, delivers a scoring punch off the

bench. She’s an effective off-ball player, getting her shots within the flow of the game

and offensive system. She is constantly moving along mid-range or three-point areas to

find open spaces, exhausting her defenders. Her quick release and fluid shooting

mechanics, combined with her size, allow her to shoot over smaller defenders. She has

strong footwork and balance when setting up shots. For catch and shoot threes, she’s

shot-ready, confident, and doesn’t hesitate. Even when her threes aren’t falling, her

high-volume three-point shooting spaces the floor, enabling teammates to excel in the

paint or on post ups. Her being a threat to knock down catch and shoot three-pointers

draws defensive closeouts, allowing her to attack and get to her spots for a two-dribble

pull-up mid-range shot.

Jordan Lee | G | 6'0" | So. | 19 Years Old | 2028 Draft Year

Jordan Lee began the tournament taking numerous mid-range dribble pull-up shots,

displaying, fluidity, footwork and balance setting up into her shot but struggling with

consistency knocking down her shots. She excels off the ball, cutting to the rim, moving

along the baseline, and making backdoor or wing and top of the key cuts to exploit

defensive gaps. While she struggles to finish inside, she absorbs contact to earn free

throws. She comes around off-ball screens and pindowns to reach her mid-range spot

for quality looks. She scores more effectively inside when exploiting a size advantage or

mismatch. She performs best off the ball, getting to her spot to rise and shoot without

overthinking, rather than creating off the dribble. As the Global Jam tournament

progressed and her two-point shots faltered, she adapted to become a catch and shoot

three-point shooter, finding the game easier and becoming more decisive. In later

games, she evolved into a volume three-point shooter. She moves well along the three-

point line, has a quick release and fluid mechanics on catch and shoot threes, and is

staying shot ready and confident. When drawing closeouts, she attacks but prioritizes

passing for teammates in drive and kick situations over scoring in the paint. Defensively,

she navigates picks with strong lateral movement, quickness, and a low base, fighting

through screens effectively.

Kyla Oldacre | C | 6'6" | Sr. | 21 Years Old | 2026 Draft Year

Kyla Oldacre, limited by a foot injury 8 minutes into the first game, is a dominant big with

a major size advantage. She secures deep post positioning, using strength, size, and

physicality to back down smaller players. Her mobility allows her to spin off defenders,

take a few dribbles, and get all the way to the the rim. Aggressive on the glass, she

grabs offensive rebounds for extra possessions and second-chance opportunities, while

her defensive rebounding limits opponents’ chances. At times she can secure 4 or 5

extra shots on a possession with her relentless offensive rebounding. She sets hard

picks, enabling pick and roll ball-handlers to exploit switches and mismatches. She

needs to improve her touch and finishing in the paint, as she sometimes lacks poise and

rushes shots. However, her ability to absorb and play through contact, earning free

throws, compensates for missed shots, and she converts free throws at a high rate.

Justice Carlton | F | 6'1" | So. | 19 Years Old | 2028 Draft Year

Justice Carlton excels as a rim running big on leak-outs in transition, using her

quickness, explosiveness, and ability to fill lanes well to beat opponents down the floor.

She has the size and body to be an interior presence and post up player, exploiting

mismatches. However, she struggles to finish in the paint, losing body control and taking

tough off-balance shots in the post. She needs more poise, body control, and not

rushing her shots in the post to be a more effective player. On the defensive end she is

an effective post up defender. She holds her ground, walls up, and doesn't allow deep

post positioning showcasing that she is stronger and more physical than she looks.

Written By: Layth Dahman