Texas vs. Alabama score, highlights: Booker, Moore score 21 as Texas advances to Sweet 16
Texas will join the SEC on July 1, so a women's basketball matchup between the Longhorns and Alabama won't be such a rarity — the last time they played each other was 40 years ago — but Sunday's game took on extra meaning: a berth into next weekend's Sweet 16 was on the line. The No. 1-seeded Longhorns and No. 8 Alabama met in the NCAA Women's Tournament round of 32 the day after the Texas men bowed out in the second round of the men's tournament.
These were our live updates and scores throughout the game.
Texas vs Alabama live score updates in NCAA second round
No. 1 Texas blasts Alabama, advances to the Sweet 16
No. 1-seeded Texas has blown past No. 8 Alabama 65-54, playing its final game on its Moody Center home court.
Madison Booker and Aaliyah Moore both scored 21 points to lead Texas, which led by seven at halftime and never was threatened in the second half.
The Longhorns (32-4) will play either Utah or Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Portland, Ore. Utah and Gonzaga play their second-round game on Monday night (9:30 p.m,, ESPN2). This is Texas' third Sweet 16 in head coach Vic Schaefer's four years.
No. 1-seeded South Carolina improved to 34-0 with its 88-41 win over No. 8 North Carolina. The two other No. 1 seeds are playing Big 12 opponents on Monday. Top-seeded Iowa (30-4) plays No. 8 West Virginia (25-7) at 7 p.m. (ESPN) and No. 1 USC (27-5) meets No. 8 Kansas (20-12) at 9 p.m. (ESPN).
No. 1 Texas has Alabama reeling in 4th
Texas leads 59-45 with 4:39 left to play.
DeYona Gaston's turnaround jumper in the lane gave Texas a 52-40 lead and then Aalyiah Moore made it 55-40 on a put-back shot off an offensive rebound. Sarah Ashleet Barker hit a jumper and a 3-point shot on back-to-back possessions to cut the lead back to 10, but Gaston scored again down low for a 57-45 advantage.
Madison Booker wowed the Moody Center crowd with a full-court play that began with a defensive rebound, continued with an around-the-back dribble to get past Alabama's Aaliyah Nye near midcourt and then finished it off with a physical, driving layup. Alabama called timeout.
Texas controls the third quarter, leads Alabama
Madison Booker's drive to the basket with the shot clock winding down, followed by her around-the-back dribble and dish to an open Aaliyah Moore on the right side and Moore's subsequent 3-point shot to give Texas a 45-32 lead with 3:24 left in the third quarter, and the Longhorns take a 48-38 lead into the fourth of this NCAA Women's Tournament second-round game against Alabama.
Top-seeded Texas, which was favored by 15 points, took a 7-point lead into halftime and a 10-point advantage into the fourth period.
Shaylee Gonzales has made notable plays on both ends of the floor — she's got three rebounds and an assist, but isn't doing much offensively — and Texas' defense has clamped down on the Crimson Tide. Taylor Jones blocked an Essence Cody shot with 4:24 left in the third and then gave Texas a 42-30 lead with a free throw after making an offensive rebound. And Shay Holle had a key rebound late in the period that sparked a DeYona Gaston basket for a 48-35 lead.
Aaliyah Nye hit a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left to cut it to 10, but Karly Weathers missed a driving layup under defensive pressure from Aaliyah Moore.
Here's how Alabama opened the second half: three missed jumpers, a missed layup and one Loyal McQueen 3-pointer. Texas, meanwhile, converted three layups and a Madison Booker jumper into a 41-30 lead with 5:48 left in the third.
Texas takes 7-point lead into halftime over Alabama
Texas leads Alabama 31-24 at halftime.
The first half, in a nutshell:
1. Texas is winning with physicality. The Longhorns are outrebounding the Crimson Tide 20-15, including nine offensive rebounds, and Alabama's subsequently shooting 35.7%.
2. Alabama has 11 turnovers.
3. Madison Booker leads all scorers with 12 points, and Aaliyah Moore has 8. Alabama's Aaliyah Nye has hit a couple of big shots and leads the Crimson Tide with 7.
Alabama missed a 3-pointer from the corner that could've cut the lead to 27-25. Instead, Madison Booker got a friendly roll around the rim for a 29-22 lead, and then stole it right back on Alabama's next possession. Taylor Jones missed a good look down low that could have made it a 31-22 game, but Booker picked Loyal McQueen — Alabama's 11th turnover — and DeYona Gaston made it 31-24 with a pair of free throws.
Each time Bama makes it close, Texas finds breathing room
There's 4:57 left in the first half. No. 1-seeded Texas is leading No. 8 Alabama 27-22.
Alabama's Aaliyah Nye (9 points so far) is keeping the Crimson Tide in this game with some timely jumpers. Her 3-pointer near the end of the first quarter cut Texas' lead from 17-11 to 17-14, and her jumper with 7:17 left in the second pulled Bama to within 21-18. And then Nye added a running jumper to make it 21-20.
Texas' Amina Muhammad made it 23-20 with a shot down low, but Bama answered when Karly Weathers scooped up Shay Holle's blocked shot of a Nye 3-point attempt and put it in for 23-22. But another offensive rebound for Texas led to a 25-22 lead, and then Madison Booker made it 27-22 with a pull-up jumper from the top of the key.
Alabama's up to eight turnovers. Texas has turned those into five points. And Texas is up to nine offensive rebounds.
The Longhorns have looked more interested in working the ball down low, where they have a size and physicality advantage closer to the basket, than working the outside. That includes Taylor Jones, who was shaken up near the end of the first period but re-entered the game with 7:27 left in the half after a quick visit to the locker room. She scored to make it 25-22 off — that's right, an offensive rebound.
End of 1st quarter: Texas leads Alabama 17-14
Texas takes a 17-14 lead into the second quarter. It was 17-11 until Bama's Aaliyah Nye hit a 3-pointer with 54 seconds left.
Texas center Taylor Jones was shaken up with 4:21 left in the period. She headed back to the bench slowly, where she was checked on by trainers. DeYona Gaston entered the game for her. The Longhorns quickly went back up 12-7 on an Aaliyah Moore put-back off an offensive rebound. And Moore added another basket on Texas' next possession for a 14-7 lead.
Booker's jumper later made it 17-9, and but the Crimson Tide cut it to 17-14 on Nye's 3-pointer.
The Longhorns had 26 offensive rebounds in Friday's win over Drexel. They have six so far today.
Texas is missing some chances, though. A Madison Booker steal led to a Texas fastbreak, but it didn't result in any points. Earlier, a brilliant Booker pass to a darting, open Shay Holle didn't result in a basket, and she missed one of two free throws after getting fouled on the shot.
Texas takes early lead
There's 4:43 left in the first period and this is a tight 8-7 game. The Longhorns jumped out to a 6-2 lead before Bama cut it to 6-5 on a Karly Weathers 3-pointer. Madison Booker made it 8-5 on a layup, but Alabama's Loyal McQueen answered with a layup of her own.
This game is off to a fast pace. Texas has the early rebounding edge, 6-4, including a 2-0 margin on offensive boards. The two teams have combined for five turnovers, but none of them have resulted directly into points.
What channel is Texas vs Alabama on today? How to watch, stream live
TV channel: ESPN
Stream: NCAA March Madness Live app | Fubo (free trial)
Texas will tip off vs. Alabama on ESPN. Streaming options include the NCAA March Madness Live app and Sling TV.
Texas vs Alabama start time, TV info, location
Start time: 5 p.m. CST
TV info: ESPN
Location: Moody Center, Austin, Texas
Texas vs Alabama preview
TEXAS: Led by second-team All-American Madison Booker, the No. 1-seeded Longhorns won the Big 12 Tournament and pounded Drexel in Friday's first round 82-42.
ALABAMA: The Crimson Tide, who finished fourth in the SEC and got into the tournament as an at-large team, opened Friday with a win over Florida State.
Texas vs Alabama odds, betting line, spread
Spread: Texas (-15.5)
Over/under: 138.5
Texas vs Alabama prediction, game picks
Texas 72, Alabama 62: Alabama will provide a much tougher test than Drexel, but the top-seeded Longhorns won't slip up in the second round this year.
Texas vs Alabama stats
TEXAS
PPG: 81.2
PPG allowed: 57.5
FG% 49.6
3PT%: 36.7
ALABAMA
PPG: 73.7
PPG allowed: 62.1
FG% 43.7
3PT%: 35.2
Texas basketball schedule 2023-24
Below is the last five games of Texas' 2023-24 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here
Date: Feb. 28 | L vs. Oklahoma, 71-70 |
Date: March 2 | W vs. BYU, 71-46 |
Date: March 9 | W vs. Kansas, 76-60 |
Date: March 11 | W. vs. Kansas State, 71-64 |
Date: March 12 | W vs. Iowa State, 70-53 |
Date: March 22 | W vs. Drexel, 82-72(NCAA Tournament) |
Alabama basketball schedule 2023-24
Below is the last five games of Alabama's 2023-24 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here
Date | Score |
Date: Feb. 25 | W vs. Mississippi State, 87-75 |
Date: Feb. 29 | W vs. Florida, 76-73 |
Date: March 3 | W vs. Texas A&M, 78-71 |
Date: March 8 | L vs. Tennessee, 83-61 |
Date: March 22 | W vs. Florida State, 82-74 (NCAA Tournament) |
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas vs Alabama live score, updates: 2024 NCAA Women's Tournament
