AUSTIN, Texas — Madison Booker delivered a pivotal performance with 16 points, including four straight free throws in the closing 24 seconds, as the No. 3 Texas Longhorns rallied to defeat No. 5 LSU 65-58 on Sunday.
The Longhorns faced an uphill battle after a poor shooting outing, making only 7 of 37 attempts in the first half and falling behind by as many as 12 points in the third quarter. Booker, who has been the leading scorer for Texas this season, struggled significantly, missing all 11 of her shot attempts in the opening half, despite averaging nearly 21 points over the prior nine games.
Despite the sluggish start, Texas (26-2, 11-1 SEC) managed to regain composure and took control of the game with a basket from Bryanna Preston that gave them a 50-49 advantage with just under six minutes remaining, a lead they maintained until the end.
Rori Harmon’s contributions, scoring back-to-back baskets, helped extend the Texas lead to 61-56, while Booker’s efforts sealed the Longhorns’ 10th consecutive victory. This victory also marked Texas’ third win against a top-10 opponent in just eight days.
On the Tigers’ side, Aneesah Morrow stood out with 15 points and an impressive 20 rebounds, leading LSU (25-2, 10-2) although her team’s defense faltered.
Takeaways from the game indicate that LSU allowed Texas to close the gap by committing multiple fouls during the third quarter, leading the Longhorns to score eight out of their last ten points in that period from free throws, narrowing the deficit to just five points as they headed into the final quarter.
Texas saw a noteworthy performance from freshman guard Justice Carlton, who made her first career start, contributing five points and six rebounds in 17 minutes of play. Standing at 6-foot-1, Carlton is among the top recruits in the nation and has only seen limited action recently, totaling just eight minutes over the last six games.
A significant moment in the game occurred right after Preston made a 3-pointer with a minute left in the first half, which ignited an 8-0 scoring spree for Texas at the start of the third quarter.
Statistically, Texas showcased perfect accuracy from the free-throw line, going 21 of 21.
Looking ahead, Texas is set to take on Georgia on February 24, while LSU will host Georgia this Thursday.
