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After she signed with Texas women's basketball in November 2024, Aaliyah Crump was faced with a unique problem.
Texas was heavily recruiting fellow guard Aaliyah Chavez at time, so what would her coaches and teammates call Crump if both players ended up in Austin? Crump couldn't just be referred to by her first name if Chavez was also on the team, and one of her nicknames — "AC" – also wouldn't work since both players have the same initials.
"If she does come here, we'll see how that works out," Crump said.
Oklahoma guard Aaliyah Chavez, center, spins away from Mississippi guard Denim Deshields (22) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Norman, Okla. (Nate Billings/Associated Press)
Well, Chavez signed with Oklahoma in March so Crump is UT's Aaliyah and Chavez is the Sooners' AC. On Sunday, the two freshmen will make their Red River Rivalry debuts when Texas hosts Oklahoma at Moody Center.
UP NEXT
NO. 4 TEXAS VS. NO. 10 OKLAHOMA
When/where: 2 p.m. Sunday at Moody Center.
TV/radio: ABC; 1300 AM.
"She's a great person, she's a great player," Crump said of Chavez. "I'm just excited to play in this game, play against a great Oklahoma team. It's a big rivalry, so I think we're all excited."
More: Longhorns still No. 4 as SEC sets AP rankings record
Six times this season Chavez has won the SEC's Freshman of the Week award. She is also leading the Sooners in scoring (18.9 points per game) and assists (4.3 per game). Her 63 3-pointers rank 14th nationally. Last week, Chavez scored 15 points in overtime as Oklahoma upset then-No. 2 South Carolina in Norman.
Crump missed 15 games this season due to a foot injury, but she has started five times and scored 92 points over her seven appearances. In an 88-68 win Thursday at Florida, Crump knocked down three 3-pointers, which exceeded the two deep shots her Texas teammates have made over their last three games.
"I think you've got to give credit to the ones that do come in as freshmen and are able to play meaningful minutes, because to me, those still are few and far between," Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. "(Freshmen like Chaves, Crump and USC's Jazzy Davidson) have been able to play meaningful minutes and function at a very high level. But I also think it's a lot easier to do that when you're on a good team."
Texas women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer takes a photo with his team and top recruits Aaliyah Chavez, back left, and Aaliyah Crump, back row, second from left, ahead of the Sept. 28 football game against Mississippi State at Royal-Memorial Stadium. Both Chavez and Crump were taking official visits. (Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman)
According to the espnW evaluators, the 5-foot-10 Chavez and the 6-1 Crump were respectively viewed as the No. 3 and No. 5 prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. They were both tabbed as McDonald's All-Americans and Jordan Brand Classic participants.
Texas tried to recruit both of the Aaliyahs to Austin. Crump committed to the Longhorns in July 2024, and she later took her official visit to the UT campus alongside Chavez that fall. Chavez listed Texas among her finalists and even was in attendance as the Longhorns secured the SEC championship March 2 at Moody Center, but the Lubbock native eventually picked the Sooners.
More: Subscribe to the Statesman's Texas sports newsletter
So are there any hard feelings between Texas and Chavez? No, said veteran point guard Rori Harmon.
"People make decisions for the best of their career and for themselves, like just do what you've got to do for you," Harmon said this week. "There's nothing personal for me. She obviously thought that was the best for her, and I'm really happy for her that she made that decision."
However, Harmon harped that "the more competitive side of me, that means you have to play against us now. So that was your choice. Now play against us. Now we're going to bring the wrath. Unfortunately, you go to a school that is our biggest rivalry too. So now it's starting to get personal when we start to play against each other. Obviously, it's all good and love. I made a really good relationship with her and her family, of course, but there's no friends when it hits the court."
Texas has yet to let a player score 25 points against them this season, which is a total that Chavez has exceeded against teams like South Carolina, Ole Miss, Florida State and North Carolina State. On Thursday, Harmon led a Texas defense that limited Florida guard Liv McGill, who is the SEC's second-leading scorer, to 15 points and nine turnovers.
Texas Longhorns guard Aaliyah Crump (23) lines up to shoot a free throw in the third quarter as the Longhorns take on the Richmond Spiders at the Moody Center in Austin, Nov. 7, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Sunday won't just be about Chavez and Crump. Ranked fourth and 10th in the Associated Press poll, Texas (20-2, 5-2) and Oklahoma (17-4, 5-3) both boast plenty of star power on their rosters. Texas forward Madison Booker is a two-time All-American, and Oklahoma center Raegan Beers was an All-American in 2024 while playing at Oregon State. Harmon is the all-time leader in assists at Texas, and she is situated to set her school's steals standard within the next couple of weeks. Oklahoma guard Payton Verhulst has been an all-conference honoree in both the Big 12 and SEC.
More: ESPN's College GameDay show picks Texas-Oklahoma game for upcoming broadcast
But unless Texas and Oklahoma meet in either the NCAA or SEC tournaments, this will be Harmon, Beers and Verhulst's last Texas-Oklahoma game. Booker has one year left with the Longhorns. That sets Chavez and Crump up to be the future of this rivalry, which dates back to 1979.
"I think they're both obviously really good freshmen, and it's been fun to kind of figure out who the next names in the sports are going to be and really watch them grow in the space," said ESPN's Christine Williamson, who will host a College GameDay broadcast from Moody Center ahead of Sunday's game. "I'm excited to watch them out there on Sunday."
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Texas was heavily recruiting fellow guard Aaliyah Chavez at time, so what would her coaches and teammates call Crump if both players ended up in Austin? Crump couldn't just be referred to by her first name if Chavez was also on the team, and one of her nicknames — "AC" – also wouldn't work since both players have the same initials.
"If she does come here, we'll see how that works out," Crump said.
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Oklahoma guard Aaliyah Chavez, center, spins away from Mississippi guard Denim Deshields (22) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Norman, Okla. (Nate Billings/Associated Press)
Well, Chavez signed with Oklahoma in March so Crump is UT's Aaliyah and Chavez is the Sooners' AC. On Sunday, the two freshmen will make their Red River Rivalry debuts when Texas hosts Oklahoma at Moody Center.
UP NEXT
NO. 4 TEXAS VS. NO. 10 OKLAHOMA
When/where: 2 p.m. Sunday at Moody Center.
TV/radio: ABC; 1300 AM.
"She's a great person, she's a great player," Crump said of Chavez. "I'm just excited to play in this game, play against a great Oklahoma team. It's a big rivalry, so I think we're all excited."
More: Longhorns still No. 4 as SEC sets AP rankings record
Six times this season Chavez has won the SEC's Freshman of the Week award. She is also leading the Sooners in scoring (18.9 points per game) and assists (4.3 per game). Her 63 3-pointers rank 14th nationally. Last week, Chavez scored 15 points in overtime as Oklahoma upset then-No. 2 South Carolina in Norman.
Crump missed 15 games this season due to a foot injury, but she has started five times and scored 92 points over her seven appearances. In an 88-68 win Thursday at Florida, Crump knocked down three 3-pointers, which exceeded the two deep shots her Texas teammates have made over their last three games.
"I think you've got to give credit to the ones that do come in as freshmen and are able to play meaningful minutes, because to me, those still are few and far between," Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. "(Freshmen like Chaves, Crump and USC's Jazzy Davidson) have been able to play meaningful minutes and function at a very high level. But I also think it's a lot easier to do that when you're on a good team."
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Texas women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer takes a photo with his team and top recruits Aaliyah Chavez, back left, and Aaliyah Crump, back row, second from left, ahead of the Sept. 28 football game against Mississippi State at Royal-Memorial Stadium. Both Chavez and Crump were taking official visits. (Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman)
After wooing Aaliyah Chavez, Texas will now try to stop her
According to the espnW evaluators, the 5-foot-10 Chavez and the 6-1 Crump were respectively viewed as the No. 3 and No. 5 prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. They were both tabbed as McDonald's All-Americans and Jordan Brand Classic participants.
Texas tried to recruit both of the Aaliyahs to Austin. Crump committed to the Longhorns in July 2024, and she later took her official visit to the UT campus alongside Chavez that fall. Chavez listed Texas among her finalists and even was in attendance as the Longhorns secured the SEC championship March 2 at Moody Center, but the Lubbock native eventually picked the Sooners.
More: Subscribe to the Statesman's Texas sports newsletter
So are there any hard feelings between Texas and Chavez? No, said veteran point guard Rori Harmon.
"People make decisions for the best of their career and for themselves, like just do what you've got to do for you," Harmon said this week. "There's nothing personal for me. She obviously thought that was the best for her, and I'm really happy for her that she made that decision."
However, Harmon harped that "the more competitive side of me, that means you have to play against us now. So that was your choice. Now play against us. Now we're going to bring the wrath. Unfortunately, you go to a school that is our biggest rivalry too. So now it's starting to get personal when we start to play against each other. Obviously, it's all good and love. I made a really good relationship with her and her family, of course, but there's no friends when it hits the court."
Texas has yet to let a player score 25 points against them this season, which is a total that Chavez has exceeded against teams like South Carolina, Ole Miss, Florida State and North Carolina State. On Thursday, Harmon led a Texas defense that limited Florida guard Liv McGill, who is the SEC's second-leading scorer, to 15 points and nine turnovers.
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Texas Longhorns guard Aaliyah Crump (23) lines up to shoot a free throw in the third quarter as the Longhorns take on the Richmond Spiders at the Moody Center in Austin, Nov. 7, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Red River Rivalry may soon revolve around Chavez, Crump
Sunday won't just be about Chavez and Crump. Ranked fourth and 10th in the Associated Press poll, Texas (20-2, 5-2) and Oklahoma (17-4, 5-3) both boast plenty of star power on their rosters. Texas forward Madison Booker is a two-time All-American, and Oklahoma center Raegan Beers was an All-American in 2024 while playing at Oregon State. Harmon is the all-time leader in assists at Texas, and she is situated to set her school's steals standard within the next couple of weeks. Oklahoma guard Payton Verhulst has been an all-conference honoree in both the Big 12 and SEC.
More: ESPN's College GameDay show picks Texas-Oklahoma game for upcoming broadcast
But unless Texas and Oklahoma meet in either the NCAA or SEC tournaments, this will be Harmon, Beers and Verhulst's last Texas-Oklahoma game. Booker has one year left with the Longhorns. That sets Chavez and Crump up to be the future of this rivalry, which dates back to 1979.
"I think they're both obviously really good freshmen, and it's been fun to kind of figure out who the next names in the sports are going to be and really watch them grow in the space," said ESPN's Christine Williamson, who will host a College GameDay broadcast from Moody Center ahead of Sunday's game. "I'm excited to watch them out there on Sunday."
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