'She Was a Beast!' Dawn Staley Praises Texas Longhorns' Madison Booker

AUSTIN -- No. 4 Texas Longhorns women's basketball defeated No. 2 South Carolina 66-62 to break the reigning national champion's 57 conference win streak on Sunday at the Moody Center. Twenty out of the 66 points came from sophomore guard Madison Booker, a complete shift from her first performance against the Gamecocks in Columbia earlier this season.

When the Longhorns traveled to South Carolina for the first game of the home-and-home series, Booker put up just seven points, one assist and one rebound. But Gamecock head coach Dawn Staley knew she would be facing a different Booker in Austin.

"We weren't anticipating any of (the Texas players) having a bad shooting night," Staley said. "Booker's a great player. She gets to her spots... She was a beast on the board. She got a really crucial rebound in the fourth quarter where we got the stop."

Texas Longhorns forward Madison Booker (35) puts the ball up to score s South Carolina Gamecocks guard Bree Hall (23) defends in the second half as the Longhorns take on the Gamecocks at the Moody Center, Feb. 9, 2025. Texas won the game 66-62. | Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Booker's teammate and usual go-to Rori Harmon had only four points, including the game winning free throws. Yet. the Longhorns' depth made it possible for the point guard to have an off day. Freshman guard Bryanna Preston took over the role for most of the second half, scoring two points in 11 minutes of playing time.

South Carolina's first conference loss since December 2021 came against the SEC newcomers. Both Texas and Oklahoma joined the conference as ranked teams, adding even more fire to a conference that was already strong.

"(Texas) and Oklahoma just make us not arguably the best conference in the country. We are," Staley said. "It's solidified with bringing them in. You got a top five program, you got a top 25 program coming to a league that already was just unforgiving, and now it's just, it's survival at this point, like anybody can beat anybody. It's tough down the stretch, and look forward to the end of the season and the SEC tournament."

The Longhorns and the Gamecocks could still play each other a third time this year, in the SEC Tournament, and possibly a fourth in the National Championship. But for now, Texas will look to two more consecutive matchups against No. 11 Kentucky on Thursday and No. 6 LSU on Sunday.

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