AUSTIN (KXAN) — Madison Booker led four Longhorns in double figures with 19 points to lift No. 1 Texas over Ole Miss 70-63 in Friday’s quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference women’s basketball tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.
Booker grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Kyla Oldacre scored 12 points and Shay Holle chipped in 11. Taylor Jones had 10 points in 21 minutes and Rori Harmon scored eight with nine assists.
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Mississippi forward Starr Jacobs (7) defends Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Mississippi forward Christeen Iwuala (12) is defended by Texas guard Shay Holle (10) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) drives the ball during an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Mississippi guard KK Deans (1) is defended by Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer watches the action on the court during an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Mississippi guard Sira Thienou (0) shoots the ball over Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer talks with Texas guard Jordan Lee (7) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Texas forward Justice Carlton (11) goes up to shoot over Mississippi guard Kennedy Todd-Williams (3) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Texas forward Madison Booker (35) shoots over Mississippi guard Sira Thienou (0) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Mississippi guard KK Deans (1) drives the ball around Texas guard Shay Holle (10) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Mississippi forward Christeen Iwuala (12) drives the ball around a Texas defender during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer stands on the sideline during an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Mississippi head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, right, applauds action on the court during an NCAA college basketball game against Texas in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Mississippi forward Christeen Iwuala (12) goes up to shoot against Texas forward Kyla Oldacre (00) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) defends Mississippi forward Starr Jacobs (7) as she drives the ball during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell) -
Texas forward Madison Booker (35) drives around Mississippi forward Christeen Iwuala (12) during an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell)
Texas led by as much as 15 in the fourth quarter, but Ole Miss cut it down to two on a KK Deans 3-pointer with 4:29 left. Deans went on a tear in the frame, scoring 12 consecutive points and burying three long distance shots, helping the Rebels go on runs of 7-0 and 6-0 to get back in the game.
“Your toughness and competitive spirit gets challenged now,” Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer said. “There’s a method to our madness throughout the course of the season.”
The Longhorns answered as Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda converted a 3-point play with an offensive rebound, putback and foul shot to stretch the lead back to multiple possessions with 3:58 remaining. Holle hit a big 3-pointer with 2:42 left to keep Texas in front 66-60. The Longhorns scored the rest of their points from the foul line.
Game officials might need new whistles for the next ones they work. The teams combined for 53 fouls and 53 free throws, with Texas knocking down 19 to the Rebels’ 16.
The Longhorns outscored the Rebels 32-22 in the paint, but Ole Miss held a 36-28 advantage on the boards, including 12-7 on the offensive end. Texas teetered with foul trouble the entire second half with Booker fouling out with under a minute left with a 4-point lead. Mwenentanda, Jones and Oldacre all ended the game with four fouls.
Schaefer said he was “frustrated” with calls against Jones and Oldacre because of their size. Jones is 6-foot-4, and Oldacre is 6-foot-6.
“I feel like they get penalized because they are tall. Really, it feels that way,” he said. “It is what it is, and we’ll move on.”
When asked how he’ll try to keep his team out of foul trouble the rest of the tournament, he replied, “It beats the hell out of me.”
Ole Miss had two players foul out, Starr Jacobs and Heliosa Carrera, while three others ended with four. Tameiya Sadlar picked up a technical foul for the Rebels.
Deans scored 20 points, and Madison Scott 14 points and nine rebounds for the Rebels (20-10). They’ll get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Texas (30-2) will take on Louisiana State in the semifinals at 6 p.m. CT Saturday on ESPN2.
