KANSAS CITY, Mo. - March 12th, 2024
The Texas women's basketball team earned their 12th conference tournament title in the history of the program with a 70-53 win over Iowa State on Tuesday at T-Mobile Center to capture the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Championship.
Texas (30-4) has won two of the last three Big 12 tournament championships. In 2022 they bested Baylor and freshman Rori Harmon was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player. This year it was another freshman, Madison Booker who took home the Most Outstanding Player award.
Booker poured in 26 points, her 13th game of the season scoring 20 or more points and added five assists and six rebounds. Aaliyah Moore, who was named to the All-Tournament Team scored 14 points for the Longhorns. Moore averaged 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds over the three games of the tournament.
In the three games of the tournament Booker averaged 21.3 points per game, four rebounds per game and five assists per game. Booker shot 50 percent from the field and made eight of her nine free-throw attempts. She turned the ball over three times in the three games combined.
Shaylee Gonzales connected on three 3-point field goals and scored 11 points and contributed five assists for Texas. Taylor Jones scored eight points and blocked three shots. Shay Holle recorded six points and DeYona Gaston scored five points. Holle, the Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection tallied four steals.
Booker scored seven straight points in the first quarter to help Texas build a quick 14-4 lead. Booker had 12 points in the opening period. The Longhorns never trailed in the game and led for 38:24 of game time.
In the second quarter Texas continued that momentum with a 16-0 run and went up 30-10 on a layup by Booker. Texas led 40-21 at the halftime break. Texas connected on five of their six 3-pointers in the first half and made seven in the game.
In the third period Iowa State closed the gap to 12 at 49-37 with 1:21 to play in the period. On the last possession of the third quarter Booker pulled up and beat the buzzer to give Texas a 51-37 advantage. Iowa State never got closer than 15 in the final period and the Longhorns claimed the title with a 70-53 final score.
The Longhorns will await the NCAA selection show on Sunday, March 17 and find out their next opponent in the NCAA tournament.
Postgame Notes
• With the win Texas improved to 30-4 on the season. It marks the 12th 30-win season in the history of the program.
•The 30-win season also marks the first Big 12 team to achieve a 30-wini season since Baylor did it in the 2018-19 season.
• The Longhorns claimed their 12th conference tournament title in program history.
• Texas head coach Vic Schaefer has guided teams to at least 26 wins in nine of his last 10 seasons as a head coach. This is the fourth time since the 2016-17 season Schaefer has guided a team to 30 or more wins in a season.
• For the 18th time this season the Longhorns held an opponent to 59 points or less. The Longhorns are 18-0 when doing so. In the 2022-23 season Texas was 22-0 when holding an opponent to 59 points or less.
• Texas outrebounded Iowa State in the game and have outrebounded their opponent in 29 of their 34 games this season.
• The Longhorns grabbed nine offensive rebounds and held a 16-2 advantage in second chance points.
• Texas forced 20 Iowa State turnovers while only committing seven turnovers themselves. Texas held a 23-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
• In the fourth quarter the Longhorns shot 50 percent and connected on nine of 18 field goals.