If you needed a reminder of what the Red River Rivalry is all about, this was it. Sunday’s 70th edition of the rivalry was expected to be a physical and heated game as No. 4 Texas took on No. 10 Oklahoma. However, it was the sideline fire that took most attention in the Longhorns’ 78–70 win. 

With 7:24 left in the second quarter and Texas firmly in control at 23–12, the officials called a foul on Justice Carlton. She tripped Zya Vann, who eventually fell to the ground. Not only was this Carlton’s third personal foul of the game, but the call also allowed a momentum shift for the Sooners. Naturally, head coach Schaefer, who has been on the edge, did not like the ruling.

He erupted on the sideline, even taking his jacket off as he went after referee Joseph Vaszily. The Longhorns’ coaching staff held Schaefer back from showing his emotions too much, or else he could’ve also been handed a technical foul, or worse, an ejection. But his outburst was understandable.

Carlton is one of the best scorers for Texas. In fact, she led the team on both ends, dropping 9 points in the first quarter alone, along with crucial blocks. And five personal fouls were a season-high for the sophomore. But fortunately for the Longhorns, their defense worked, and the visitors could not score in their next two consecutive possessions, and that’s how the game continued.

Even after Oklahoma closed the gap with four three-pointers in the third quarter after trailing by 21, they never took the lead. The closest difference still separated them by seven points.

Madison Booker and Justice Carlton wrapped up the game, scoring 16 points each. At the same time, the gritty Texas defense, led by guard Rori Harmon, made life difficult for Aaliyah Chavez, holding her to 3 for 13 shooting and just 11 points, 8 points below her scoring average. She also had three turnovers.

While emotions were expected to flare as the Longhorns were vying to protect their home for the 38th straight game, Schaefer’s approach to show his loyalty wasn’t appreciated by many college basketball fans.

Vic Schaefer’s behavior takes the spotlight over the win

“How was no technical called? Even if they knew they were wrong, the refs can’t allow a coach to act like that,” one fan said, clearly bemused by what he had seen. It won’t be a new thing that a head coach fumed over the referees for certain calls in the NCAA world. In fact, in Texas’ previous game against South Carolina, Dawn Staley was just as animated. Who can forget to mention Kim Mulkey when it comes to calling out the officials?

However, it is also true that more often than not, a technical foul is given to the head coaches as well. Playing or not, there’s always a decorum that everyone involved in a game should maintain. But Schaefer, for whatever reason, didn’t get either an ejection or a tech. But of course, the game was only in the second half, and Vaszily probably gave Schaefer a warning not to repeat the offense.

Another echoed the same sentiment, adding, “He Should’ve been tossed.” And you can understand their frustration. “Whiny tbh,” another fan said.

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Vic Schaefer has already made headlines for his comments aimed at the SEC over scheduling back-to-back ranked road games. That stretch ended with losses to the LSU Tigers and the South Carolina Gamecocks and cost Texas its top-two ranking. It has been a frustrating couple of weeks for Schaefer, and it showed in this moment.

Another fan piled on with a taunt, saying, “Thought he only lost his cool when he had to play tough back to back road games.” Schaefer pointing out the SEC’s scheduling became quite a big news. Of course, being part of one of the toughest conferences is not easy, and that includes going through some challenging schedules. That said, there was a clear reason behind the frustration from Vic Schaefer’s perspective.

As one fan pointed out, “ESPN’s replay confirmed Carlton didn’t touch or foul the OU player — so Vic Schaefer had a justifiable gripe.” Replays showed Justice Carlton was nowhere near Zya Vann, standing roughly four to five feet away when the whistle blew, leaving many confused. However, she had tripped the Sooner, and even the commentators knew who was going to get the hit for the crucial foul.

Moments like that can completely change the flow of a game. Emotions run high on the sideline, and you can understand why the coach reacted the way he did. It makes things even more interesting when you remember these two share a bit of history.

As one fan put it, “The referee is Joe Is-Silly. He’s one of the worst in the game so he’s used to dealing with crazed coaches.” The official in focus was Joseph Vaszily, a name that already carries history with Vic Schaefer.

Vaszily was part of the officiating crew when Schaefer’s Mississippi State Bulldogs reached the national championship game, a night that ended painfully for the program. A late foul on Morgan William in transition was ignored, a call that could have sent the Bulldogs to the free-throw line with a chance to win the title. Instead, it went down as a turnover on William, and Notre Dame walked away with the championship.

Vaszily does not have the best reputation as a referee, and while mistakes are part of the job, you cannot help but wonder if the SEC made the right call by assigning an official with a history of controversy in games involving Vic Schaefer. However, in a convincing rivalry game, anything is fair, right?

Texas will now shift its focus to yet another tough matchup at home. Having kept the longest active home court winning streak in the nation alive, they look to claim their 39th consecutive victory at the Moody Center against the No. 6 LSU Tigers on Thursday night.