AUSTIN, Texas — Taylor Jones contributed 17 points while Madison Booker added 16 as the No. 5 Texas Longhorns secured a 70-61 victory over Missouri on Thursday night. This win marked Texas’s fifth consecutive triumph and their 18th straight victory at home.
Jones, who scored 11 points in the first half, played a crucial role in helping Texas (21-2, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) maintain its impressive home winning streak that began in January 2024. In the third quarter, Booker was instrumental, scoring nine points as the Longhorns outscored Missouri 19-10, taking the lead for the first time.
With 2:39 left on the clock, Rori Harmon made a significant jumper, followed swiftly by a 3-pointer from Shay Holle, which widened Texas’s lead to eight points. Harmon sealed the victory with two free throws just 38 seconds before the final buzzer sounded.
Laniah Randle led Missouri (12-11, 1-7) with an impressive 22 points, while Grace Slaughter contributed 16 points.
In terms of takeaways, Missouri has shown signs of improvement. Previously, they experienced six consecutive losses in the SEC, falling by an average of 18 points—with only one game lost by fewer than 15 points. However, following a critical win against Mississippi State, they came into this game competitive against Texas.
For Texas, Booker has notably upped her performance, averaging 20.8 points over the last five games after struggling in a loss at South Carolina. Additionally, the team faced challenges this game, as forwards Aaliyah Moore and Justice Carlton were sidelined with the flu. Senior guard Laila Phelia is also expected to apply for an NCAA medical redshirt. Phelia, who previously played as an all-Big Ten guard for Michigan, sustained a detached retina during the offseason and has participated in only eight games this season.
A key moment of the match occurred when Missouri was ahead 32-21 following a layup and free throw from Randle with 4:21 to go before halftime. Texas managed to respond decisively, executing a 12-3 run to finish out the half, with Jordan Lee scoring their first 3-pointer to ignite the momentum.
A critical statistic highlighted Missouri’s performance; they shot only 36% in the second half after a strong 55.6% success rate in the first half.
Looking ahead, Missouri is set to host No. 18 Tennessee on Sunday, while Texas will face Texas A&M on the same day.
