Booker’s career-high 31 points fuels Texas to SEC semifinal win over Ole Miss
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AUSTIN (KXAN) — When Ole Miss climbed back into the game with a big third quarter, Madison Booker took over in the fourth for the Texas Longhorns.
Booker scored 13 of her career-high 31 points in the frame, helping the third-seeded Longhorns hold off the pesky Rebels 85-68 in the Southeastern Conference women’s basketball tournament semifinals Saturday in Greenville, South Carolina.
Texas guard Jordan Lee vies for the ball with Mississippi guard Tianna Thompson during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Texas forward Justice Carlton vies for the ball with Mississippi forward Cotie McMahon during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Texas head coach Vic Schaefer yells during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Texas forward Breya Cunningham passes around Mississippi forward Christeen Iwuala during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Texas forward Madison Booker vies for the ball with Mississippi forward Cotie McMahon during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Mississippi guard Tianna Thompson collides with Texas guard Jordan Lee during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Texas center Kyla Oldacre drives to the basket between Mississippi forward Latasha Lattimore and forward Cotie McMahon during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Mississippi center Desrae Kyles blocks a shoot by Texas center Kyla Oldacre during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Texas guard Jordan Lee vies for the ball with Mississippi guard Tianna Thompson during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Mississippi head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin reacts during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Mississippi forward Cotie McMahon shoots over Texas guard Jordan Lee during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Mississippi forward Cotie McMahon drives to the basket past Texas during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Mississippi guard Denim DeShields drives to the basket past Texas guard Rori Harmon during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) Texas forward Madison Booker collides with Mississippi center J’adore Young during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Texas (30-3) secured its third consecutive 30-win season with the win, and the Longhorns will face South Carolina in the tournament championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Gamecocks beat Louisiana State 83-77 to advance to the title game.
The Rebels went on a 9-0 run to close the third quarter, anchored by a Denim DeShields 3-pointer at the buzzer, to cut the Texas advantage to 57-55. The Longhorns led by 12 to start the frame, and it looked as if Ole Miss seized all the momentum heading into the final 10 minutes.
Booker fueled a 10-4 flurry to open the final period with six points, a pair of midrange jumpers and two foul shots, stretching the Texas lead back to double digits at 69-59. Texas ended the game on a 7-0 run over the final 1:40 to put the game away.
The Longhorns shot 53% from the field, including a 67% performance in the fourth quarter. Texas made 31 field goals in 59 attempts, and the Rebels shot 25-for-64 (39%).
Texas outrebounded the Rebels 35-30, led by Booker’s 11 boards. Kyla Oldacre scored 19 points with eight rebounds, shooting 11-for-13 from the foul line. Jordan Lee chipped in 14 points, and Rori Harmon had seven assists with just one turnover. She entered the game No. 3 in Division I in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.87.
DeShields and Cotie McMahon each scored 20 points for the seventh-seeded Rebels. Ole Miss (23-11) knocked off No. 2 seed Vanderbilt 89-78 in the quarterfinals.
Texas and South Carolina split two games during the season. The Longhorns won 66-64 on Nov. 27 in Las Vegas, and the Gamecocks claimed a 68-65 win Jan. 15 in Columbia, South Carolina.Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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