Booker’s March Madness moment is career high 40 as No. 1 Texas rolls over Oregon 100-58 to Sweet 16
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Madison Booker scored a career-high 40 points in a dazzling display of shot making and No. 1 Texas rolled past No. 8 Oregon 100-58 Sunday in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament, sending the Longhorns back to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year.
The Longhorns’ three-time All-American was dominant from the opening tip as she created shots from all over the floor. She scored 19 in the first half, and her 3-point play early in the third quarter, when she muscled through and over three defenders for a layup, sparked a 19-4 run that turned the game into a rout.
Booker’s previous high was 31, set just a few weeks ago against Mississippi in the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Texas (33-3) ran its home win streak to 44. A No. 1 seed for the third year in a row, the Longhorns now head to Fort Worth in a bid to return to the Final Four for the second consecutive season. They will play the winner of Monday’s matchup between No. 4 West Virginia (28-6) and No. 5 Kentucky (24-10).
Katie Fiso scored 16 points to lead Oregon (23-13), which last made the Sweet 16 in 2021.
The Ducks simply had no answer for the big, strong and versatile Booker and her shot-making and ball handling against any defender, or two, they threw at her.
Oregon kept up for a while with 9-of-11 shooting in the first quarter. Booker, meanwhile was doing just about anything she want from short, middle and long range. Texas pushed the lead to 44-29 in the second on Aaliyah Crumps’ 3-pointer from the left wing.
Oregon was still within 11 points at halftime. Booker led the Longhorns out of the break with the third quarter burst that quickly settled the outcome. Texas outscored Oregon 28-8 in the quarter.
Up next
The Longhorns will face either an SEC rival in Kentucky, or an old one from their previous conference, the Big 12, in West Virginia.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness