Booker and No. 1 Texas dispatch No.
8 Illinois 65-48 to send the Longhorns back to the Sweet 16
[March 25, 2025]
By JIM VERTUNO
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Madison Booker scored 20 points and No. 1-seed
Texas used a smothering defense to earn a 65-48 victory over No. 8
Illinois on Monday, sending the Longhorns to the Sweet 16 of the
women's NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last five
seasons.
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda added 19 points for Texas (33-3), which will
meet Southeastern Conference rival No. 5 Tennessee (24-9) in
Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday.
Texas outscored Illinois 18-6 in the second quarter, then broke the
game open at the start of the third when the Longhorns stretched the
lead to 24 after steals by Booker and Rori Harmon led to quick
baskets.
Texas' relentless ball pressure harassed Illinois (22-10) the entire
game, and the Longhorns scored 23 points off 20 Illini turnovers.
All of it was keyed by Harmon, who had four steals and locked down
Illinois guard Genesis Bryant, who had six turnovers.
Harmon missed last year's tournament when Texas advanced to the
Elite Eight because of a knee injury that required surgery.
“I take pride in my defense,” Harmon said. "I just want to play so
hard just because I wasn’t playing in the tournament last year.”
Mwenentanda had started 12 of the Longhorns' previous 14 games but
was on the bench for tipoff for the second consecutive game as Texas
inserted freshman guard Jordan Lee in her place.
She responded by scoring a career high in points on 7 of 10 shooting
and also grabbed six rebounds.
“I've been prepared for this moment since day one freshman year,”
Mwenentanda said. “You just saw the most confident version of
myself.”
Texas coach Vic Schaefer did not keep her on the bench for very long
Monday.
“When I can play her, it opens up the playbook for me. When (she)
came in, it really changed things for us,” Schaefer said.
Adalia McKenzie led Illinois with 13 points.
Takeaways
Illinois: The Illini earned the program's first NCAA Tournament win
in 25 years in the first round against Creighton, but they will lose
four senior starters, notably Kendall Bostic, the program's career
rebounds leader.
[to top of second column] |
Texas forward Madison Booker (35) scores against Illinois during the
second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball
tournament in Austin, Texas, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric
Gay)
“Our next step in this process is we want to get to
the Sweet 16,” Illinois coach Shauna Green said.
“We'll use the experience from this year, knowing we've played in a
big moment,” said freshman Berry Wallace, who scored 12 points.
Texas: A No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year, the Longhorns
will be looking to make the Elite Eight for the fourth time since
2021. Schaefer, who twice led Mississippi State to the championship
game, called Texas “one of my better teams, y'all.”
“We've got enough,” he said.
Short bench
The Illini mostly used a six-player rotation through its two
tournament games, and they wore down against the Longhorns'
pressure, Green said.
“They are so strong and physical and long,” Green said. “It wears on
you.”
Key stat
Texas didn't make a 3-pointer and has just three in its first two
tournament games. The Longhorns averaged just three per game during
the season.
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