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TAMPA, Fla. -- Although Texas' campus is well over 1,000 miles away from Tampa, Rori Harmon and Madison Booker made sure the Longhorns have student support at the Final Four. With some assistance from coach Vic Schaefer and their school, the two Texas standouts are helping 25 students make the trip from Austin by bus to watch them play South Carolina on Friday night. 

"Me and Madison decided to put our money together to pay for these students' way to come support us," Harmon said. "I think that just shows we'll do anything to help our students get here and for them to cheer us on. I'm just super glad we have some students coming... I think that's cool."

This was something Harmon and Booker really wanted to do for the team's student section, known as "The Charge." Fortunately, they didn't have to figure it all out by themselves as Schaefer and the Texas athletic department helped with the logistics of scheduling the 1,150-mile bus trip. The students were expected to leave Texas at 5 p.m. local time Thursday and embark on the 17-hour journey to Tampa. 

Women's Final Four at a glance: Tip times, schedule, March Madness, key players and stats to know
Jack Maloney
Women's Final Four at a glance: Tip times, schedule, March Madness, key players and stats to know

It's a long journey, but definitely a worthwhile one.

"Rori and Book and myself, we've helped put a bus together and got these kids. So our students are coming from Austin. I think it's the 17-hour bus ride," Schaefer said. "Booker and Rori have really ramrodded this deal. Bought the tickets. Got them some hotel rooms. So we're excited that we're going to be able to have some University of Texas students be able to come to the Final Four and enjoy cheering on their team."

Giorgette Ruiz, the president of The Charge, told CBS Sports that she has been working with Texas assistant marketing director Reagan Neely throughout the season to generate student interest. Neely reached out to Ruiz on Wednesday night with the bus idea. Once Ruiz contacted other students who were interested in going to the game and followed up with Neely, the trip was approved. 

"When I got the email that it was confirmed, I jumped out of my seat in such excitement," Ruiz told CBS Sports. 

Schaefer took over the program in 2020 and has guided Texas to four of the last five Elite Eights. But this is the first Final Four appearance since 2003 for the Longhorns, who last played for the national championship in 1986. To take the next step, the Longhorns will have to get past defending national champion South Carolina, a team they have already played three times this season. 

The Longhorns and Gamecocks split their two regular season matchups and ended up sharing the SEC's regular season title, but South Carolina beat UT in the conference tournament championship -- which was played in Greenville, South Carolina, just two hours away from the Gamecocks' campus in Columbia.

The Gamecocks had the clear crowd advantage in the two meetings played in the state of South Carolina while Texas pulled out the win on Feb. 9 on its home floor. 

"Our student section went from having less than 30 people to being packed out and so loud," Ruiz said. "We beat South Carolina at home and I truly believe that it was because of the energy of the fans and our players."

It might not be the exact same environment at Amalie Arena in Tampa, but at least the Longhorns know there will be some fired-up students cheering them on in person -- thanks in part to the generosity of Harmon, Booker and Schaefer. 

"Now as we take on South Carolina again," Ruiz said, "I am ready for my organization to be loud and proud and give our best energy."