What a 19th birthday week for Justice Carlton.

The Texas freshman poured in 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting last Saturday against Butler. On Sunday, she made the game-clinching steal and two final free throws in the last four seconds to beat No. 12 West Virginia.

Then on Tuesday, Carlton was named the national freshman of the week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and the SEC freshman of the week by the league office.

On Wednesday, the day of Carlton’s actual 19th birthday, No. 4 Texas (7-0) will travel to South Bend, Ind. Then on Thursday, UT has a sizzling date with No. 10 Notre Dame (5-2).

Did the Horns get her a birthday present? “Uh, it’s gonna be a win,” forward Madison Booker said.

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“It’s just honestly exciting,” Carlton said of this whirlwind welcome-to-Texas sprint. “Just kind of getting my feet under me these last couple of weeks has been rough.”

Every freshman, even the McDonald’s All-Americans like Carlton, come to campus thinking they can perform at the next level. But there’s always an adjustment period. Carlton’s has been quicker than most, as evidenced by her play in last week’s Gulf Coast Showcase.

“That’s the Justice that I’ve been recruiting for 2 1/2 years,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said.

Oh, there have been moments of doubt.

“It definitely is an adjustment coming into college, and it is really deflating for a little bit, just kind of being at your peak, your senior year, and just gaining all these accolades, like playing in the McDonald’s game and stuff like that,” Carlton said. “And then you come into college and you're right back at the bottom.”

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Such is life as a freshman. “One minute, you’re ready to slice your wrist and quit,” Schaefer said, and the next you’re winning national awards.

“Honestly, I’m not shocked at all,” Texas senior Rori Harmon said. “This is what I expected from her. She is unguardable, untouchable. She can take anyone. As you can tell, she’s really unstoppable.”

Said Booker: “She just has this patience. It throws their defense off. She takes her time, which you don’t see a lot of freshman do. She’s a bucket. She’s a great player. This is just a start.”

None of this is a surprise to Carlton’s parents. Her father was shouting Justice’s name in the hospital nursery like a stadium announcer “like if I were coming out of the tunnel.” They picked the name Justice because “my dad actually had a crush on Janet Jackson in ‘Poetic Justice.’ He really liked the name Justice in general.”

Her mother, Kacey, played at Baylor and then played professionally for seven years overseas and in the WNBA. “She thinks I am way more physical than her,” Carlton said. “She likes that I’m really aggressive and I have a solid frame. That’s definitely her favorite part.

Carlton is starting to blossom, and odds are so will Schaefer’s other two talented newcomers, guards Bryanna Preston and Jordan Lee.

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After rebounding from an ACL tear in December, Harmon ran a 6:05 mile this preseason. The Horns are now running toward the Women’s Final Four.

Harmon roomed with Preston during the trip to Florida; the point guard of now teaching the point guard of the future. Lee is too talented not to shine at some point this season.

“They’re basketball IQ is above average to pretty good,” Schaefer said. “Just watching them and recruiting them, I know the impact and importance they had on their teams. They’ve all been in big games and they know how to handle that.”

It’s a credit to the veterans that they’re giving these freshmen the shots and space to shine. Not many senior-laden teams would give a freshman like Carlton 15 shots in a November tournament game. That’s cutting into someone else’s shot opportunities.

But this is a veteran group that was actively looking for someone, something, anything to get them over the Elite Eight hump and into the Final Four. These freshmen could be that extra oomph. They’re just getting started.

“It’s hard for a young person,” Schaefer said, “but those three freshmen, they’re gold now. I’m telling you, they’re special.”