Cliffs Notes: SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker led 5 Texas players in double figures with a game-high 20 points and 14 rebounds, as the top-seeded Longhorns blasted William and Mary to the tune of a 105-61 beatdown.
The Participants: No.1 Texas and No.16 William and Mary (16-18)
Game MVP: Booker is simply on a different level than every single player on the Tribe squad. In putting up 20 points on an efficient 11 shots, grabbing 15 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists, she reminded everyone that if the Longhorns make a Final Four run, she's going to need to be the straw that stirs the drink.
The Game Was Decided When...: After a cagy first quarter that saw William and Mary keep it within five points at 23-18 after the first 10 minutes, the Longhorns went on an 15-2 win to open the second quarter to open its lead to 18. Time off death for the Tribe: 6:00 left in the second quarter.
Unsung Hero: It always feels like Taylor Jones kind of flies under the radar, eve though she brings her lunch pail to the floor game-in and game-out. All she did tonight was put up 19 points on 7 of 10 shooting, while grabbing 6 rebounds and committing zero turnovers.
The Three-Point Shot: Freshman Jordan Lee knocked down 3 of 7 shots from downtown, while the rest of the team went 0 for from beyond the arc. This will be a stat that we need to follow throughout the Tournament. The Longhorns will go far in the Tournament if they can only be -4 on the made three-point shot chart each game.
Final Thoughts: All that mattered tonight was winning and playing well enough that you feel good about the momentum going into the next match-up against No.8 Illinois. Mission accomplished. This was the worst competition that the Longhorns have seen since it played Rio Grand Valley in late December, so all you can do is dominate the opposition like the Longhorns did. Bigger and tougher tests await.
