Texas exodus as Final Four team sees key players hit transfer portal

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — From Final Four to roster rebuild. That's what Texas women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer is facing after a group of key players hit the transfer portal this week. Schaefer still has three-time All-American Madison Booker to build around, but the departures were jarring. A program coming off consecutive Final Four appearances was expecting to refresh and reload behind Booker, a group of seasoned veterans and one of the top recruiting classes in the country. Texas was already losing starting point guard Rori Harmon and center Kyla Oldacre, as well as key reserve forward Teya Sidberry as all three had expired their college eligibility. But soon after the transfer portal opened, a trio of players who were expected to be major contributors next year bolted. Sophomore Jordan Lee, the team's second-leading scorer who started 38 games and averaged 13.2 points and was the team's top 3-point shooter, was among them. So was Aaliyah Crump, who was one of the top recruits in the country in 2025. She missed 15 games last season with a foot injury but played in 24, averaging 7.9 points. And sophomore Justice Carlton, who flashed moments of brilliance but also struggled with consistency, started 28 games and averaged 8.5 points. Also transferring is Aaliyah Moore, who missed last season with an injury. Carlton posted on social media that she had wanted to play her entire career at Texas. "I never imagined I'd transfer," she wrote, "But some things just don't work." Schaefer did not plan to make a comment on the departures, a team spokesman said. The players transferring out leave a team that has rocketed into the national elite in Schaefer's six seasons. In that span, Texas returned to the Final Four for the first time since 2003 and advanced to the Elite Eight three other times. Texas won a share of the Southeastern Conference regular-season title in 2025 and won the league tournament this past season. Texas also earned No. 1 seeds for the NCAA Tournament the last three years. Schaefer has proven to be a demanding coach to play for, and willing to publicly criticize his players. After an 18-point loss in Nashville on Feb. 12, he went on a postgame rant that questioned his team's heart and called the Longhorns "probably the softest team I've had in years." They didn't lose again until the Final Four. Schaefer's comments followed the team to Phoenix, where Harmon and Booker said the players had responded well to their coach's rebuke. The roster needs an overhaul for next season but is far from bare. Schaefer's incoming recruiting class is ranked among the best in the nation, highlighted by guard Addison Bjorn and forward Brihanna Crittendon. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball