GREENVILLE, S.C. — In a showcase of determination and skill, All-America forward Madison Booker led the way with 19 points as No. 1 Texas successfully edged out Mississippi 70-63 on Friday night during the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
Kyla Oldacre contributed 12 points, while Shay Holle added 11, supporting Texas (30-2) in extending its impressive winning streak to 14 games.
Having secured the tournament’s No. 2 seed after a coin flip lost against South Carolina, the Longhorns are now set to face No. 9 LSU in Saturday’s semifinals.
Reaching this point was not without challenges.
Texas held a 15-point lead early in the third quarter as Ole Miss succumbed to a streak of missed opportunities, going over eight minutes without a field goal and missing 13 consecutive shots. However, the Longhorns couldn’t create a significant gap until Kirsten Deans started igniting from three-point range, pulling the Rebels within two points with just 4 1/2 minutes remaining.
In the last stretch, Texas outscored Mississippi 10-5 to cement the win.
For the Rebels (20-10), Deans led with a total of 20 points, closely followed by Madison Scott who delivered a solid performance with 14 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.
### Game Insights
Mississippi’s downfall hinged largely on their shooting woes in the third quarter, landing only 2 out of 15 from the field.
Conversely, Texas managed to secure the victory despite playing without Booker in the final minute, as she fouled out following a charge away from the hoop.
### Decisive Moment
A pivotal moment occurred with Ole Miss trailing by four and 1:26 left on the clock. Sira Thienou’s attempt to bring the game closer faltered when her putback rolled around the rim twice before ultimately not falling through—proving to be a decisive miss.
### Highlight Stat
The game was intensely physical with a total of 53 fouls called. There were three players who fouled out and six others who ended with four fouls.
### Looking Ahead
While Texas gears up to meet LSU, Ole Miss will eagerly await their fate in the NCAA Tournament.