Texas has won the Big 12 Women’s Tournament for the second time in three seasons, as the Longhorns throttled Iowa State 70-53 to claim the conference crown on Tuesday. Like she has all season, Madison Booker led the way for the Longhorns with 26 points, six rebounds and five assists.
This conference tournament win is yet another remarkable achievement for a Texas team that suffered a huge blow early in the season with star point guard Rori Harmon tearing her ACL. With Harmon sidelined, Booker — a traditional forward — took on increased playmaking duties, and the freshman has thrived in her unique inside-outside role.
Booker’s offensive contributions were critical to Texas’ Big 12 title game win, but Shay Holle’s defensive impact was nearly as integral. Holle swiped a team-high four steals for Texas, as her strong perimeter defense was a big reason why her team won the turnover battle, 20-7.
Audi Crooks was the lone bright spot for Iowa State, with the 6-foot-3 freshman recording 25 points as the Cyclones’ lone double-digit scorer. She has been a revelation throughout the conference tournament, clearing 20 points while making at least 55% of her field goal attempts in all three games.
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