AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jordan Lee scored 19 points and No. 1-seed Texas opened the women’s NCAA Tournament with an 87-45 romp over Missouri State, building a 32-point lead by halftime as the Longhorns started what they hope will be a return trip to the Final Four.
All-American Madison Booker had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Texas (32-3) against the overmatched No. 16-seed Lady Bears. The Longhorns advance to Sunday’s second-round game against No. 8-seed Oregon, which beat No. 9 Virginia Tech 70-60 earlier Friday.
Texas is a No. 1 seed for the third consecutive year. The Longhorns advanced to the Final Four last season for the first time since 2003. Texas hasn’t won a national championship since 1986 when the Longhorns were the first team to go undefeated for the title.
If they win Sunday, the Longhorns would head three hours north to Fort Worth for the Sweet 16.
“We still have a season in front of us,” Booker said, “We just have to just keep that mindset.”
The Longhorns overwhelmed Missouri State early with their size and speed at both ends of the court.
Kyla Oldacre, at 6-foot-6, scored 15 points was an immovable force under the basket. The quickness of Texas guards Lee, Rori Harmon and Bryanna Preston created open lanes to the basket or shut them down on defense.
Texas led 19-4 after the first quarter and 44-12 by halftime. Missouri State, which won the Conference USA Tournament, made just four baskets in the first half.
Kaemyn Bekemeier scored 14 points to lead Missouri State (23-13).
Bekemeier said the Lady Bears were unsettled early playing in front a loud crowd of nearly 8,000 on Texas’ home court. Texas has won 43 in a row at home.
“The environment was amazing. We might have been a little intimidated at the beginning,” Bekemeier said. “They are great defenders … They have a great shot to win this thing.”
It wasn’t all smooth for the Longhorns after a two-week break following their Southeastern Conference Tournament championship. They looked rusty early and missed nine of 18 layups and shot just 41% in the first half against a team they could bully on both ends of the court.
“We’re just knocking off some rust. I’m sure we’ll regroup,” Harmon said. “I anticipate we’ll play a lot better.”
Size advantage
Texas was bigger at almost every position and outscored Missouri State 50-12 in the paint.
“They were super physical,” said Missouri State forward Lainie Douglas, who scored 11 points. “I knew that going in.”
Harmon’s career record
The fifth-year point guard didn’t play in the fourth quarter. But her three assists moved her into 10th place in NCAA career assists with 946.
Up next
Oregon coach Kelly Graves beat Texas coach Vic Schaefer to reach the Final Four in 2019 when Schaefer was the head coach at Mississippi State.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness