Takeaways: Rori Harmon steals the spotlight and makes history as Texas gets revenge on LSU in SEC showdown

Revenge tastes sweeter when you also get to write your name in the history books. After having one of the worst games of her career in a loss to LSU in January, Rori Harmon bounced back to help No. 4 Texas get a 77-64 victory over the No. 5 Tigers on Thursday night.

Harmon only made one field goal and was benched the entire fourth quarter in that first meeting against LSU, so this one was personal for her.

"That's the difference right there," Harmon said during her broadcast postgame interview. "I can't let that happen again. My team needs me to do right. Run the team, run the offense and play good defense. I feel like I did that today."

Thursday's result was Texas's fourth win over an AP top 10 team this season, the most in Division I. Harmon finished the day with 11 points, five assists and six steals. While the point guard did a lot of little things to help her team, her defense was the star of the show.

Late in the third quarter, Harmon fought two LSU players to complete a steal that helped her become Texas's all-time career steals leader. After the play, she lay on the floor holding the ball tightly and smiling from ear to ear. Earlier this season, Harmon also set Texas's all-time assists record.

LSU entered the game with the nation's top scoring offense, averaging 98.9 points per game – including 12 games with 100+ points. The Tigers' 64 points marked their lowest scoring game of the season. They couldn't get a lot of good looks, and their 18 turnovers didn't exactly help them get into a good rhythm.

Despite only being 5-foot-6, Harmon plays hard every night to make sure her impact is felt, which is part of why coach Vic Schaefer has described her as the best point guard in the nation. 

"I just have a big heart," she said. "I know I'm really small but I think that just makes me work harder for those balls. So I have that assignment, and I take that assignment really personal."

Her intensity and ability to shake off mistakes are two of her biggest strengths. This was evident when she missed a shot with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when she missed a shot and LSU secured the rebound. Instead of sulking, Harmon simply responded by getting another steal. 

It was a cool moment, but not her last highlight of the night. With less than a minute and a half remaining, Harmon made LSU's MiLaysia Fulwiley drop and used that extra space to hit a smooth pull-up jump shot.

This win further boosted Texas's case to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The SEC is the toughest conference to get through, but the Longhorns have been a force to be reckoned with. While there are multiple pieces on this roster that deserved to be highlighted, Thursday was Harmon's night. 

Here are other recent women's college basketball storylines:

Duke is back

Thursday's 59-58 road victory over No. 6 Louisville is a good representation of how far Duke has come. The Blue Devils fell off the AP Top 25 earlier this season, but now they are on a 14-game winning streak and hold a perfect 12-0 ACC record. That was also Duke's first-ever win at KFC Yum! Center, Louisville's home arena.

"All this was was an opportunity for us to see our progress and how much we've grown playing a big-time team like this," Coach Kara Lawson said postgame. "It's well chronicled that we played a lot of big-time teams like this in November and we didn't do well -- in case you haven't heard. It's nice to show growth in that aspect and be able to come away with a win."

Minnesota makes a statement

The Gophers are No. 10 in the net rankings, and while that sounds surprising at first glance, they certainly lived up to the ranking with a 91-85 upset over No. 10 Iowa on Thursday. That was Minnesota's first road win over a top 10 AP opponent in 23 years. The Gophers are on a five-game winning streak and on their way to what could be their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2018.

It is not easy to get a win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, but the Gophers shot the lights out from beyond the arc, going 10 of 14. Five Minnesota players scored in double figures, led by Grace Grocholski's 21 points. The team also won the rebound battle 41-28.

Arizona State is thriving in the Molly Miller era

While we have talked about the undefeated starts from Texas Tech and Vanderbilt, Arizona State is actually the Division I team that has improved the most from last season. The Molly Miller era is off to an excellent start, as the Sun Devils' current 19-5 overall record is significantly better than where the program was last year. They need just one more victory to double the number of wins they had through the entire 2024-25 campaign. 

ASU has not appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2019, but right now CBS Sports bracketologist Connor Groel is projecting the Sun Devils as one of the last four in.

Game to watch this weekend:

No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 8 Michigan, Sunday, Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX

The top two teams in the Big Ten standings facing off seemed like a pretty safe choice for this weekend's game to highlight. The Bruins are the No. 2 team in the nation but they can't get too comfortable on the road, especially against a team that almost upset No. 1 UConn in December. UCLA will have the size advantage and also a more experienced starting lineup, but the Wolverines are undefeated at home and the Olivia Olson + Syla Swords duo should not be overlooked.