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Texas women vs. Drexel: Scouting report, prediction for 2024 NCAA Tournament opener

danny davis, austin american-statesman
·3 min read

For the 36th time, the Texas women's basketball program has qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

That 36th championship run — one that Texas has successfully completed just once, in 1986 — gets underway this week with the Longhorns a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament field. The Longhorns (30-4) host Drexel (19-14) in a first-round game at Moody Center on Friday (2 p.m., ESPNU, 103.1).

Here's what you need to know about the matchup:

Texas freshman Madison Booker will make her NCAA Tournament debut for the No. 1-seeded Longhorns, who'll open at Moody Center against Drexel on Friday. Booker is the Big 12 co-player of the year and was voted the Big 12 Tournament's most outstanding player.
Texas freshman Madison Booker will make her NCAA Tournament debut for the No. 1-seeded Longhorns, who'll open at Moody Center against Drexel on Friday. Booker is the Big 12 co-player of the year and was voted the Big 12 Tournament's most outstanding player.

Madison meets March: Booker's first NCAA Tournament

Throughout this season, Texas point guard Madison Booker has accumulated accolades aplenty. Big 12 co-player of the year. Big 12 freshman of the year. Big 12 Tournament most outstanding player. Naismith Trophy semifinalist. Cheryl Miller Award finalist.

Now Booker gets to see what she can do in the NCAA Tournament.

The Longhorns' fabulous freshman enters her first March Madness averaging 16.9 points, 4.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds. What should Texas fans expect from Booker in her debut? If the Longhorns are lucky, she'll mimic two of her teammates.

Two years ago, Texas opened the NCAA Tournament with a 70-52 win over Fairfield at the Erwin Center. In that 18-point victory, UT got 10 points and 11 assists from then-freshman point guard Rori Harmon. And fellow freshman Aaliyah Moore scored a team-high 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while playing 20 minutes off the bench.

"I'm going to tell her to get ready because every game matters," Moore said Sunday. "We have no room for error now; you win, or you go home. I know she's locked in. She's made for it."

The scoring record for Texas freshmen in the NCAA Tournament is the 32 points Clarissa Davis scored in the 1986 national semifinals against Western Kentucky.

Texas guard Shay Holle shoots over BYU guard Lauren Davenport during their March 2 game at Moody Center. Holle's 3-pointer with 73 seconds left was the critical shot of Texas' Big 12 Tournament semifinal win over Kansas State.
Texas guard Shay Holle shoots over BYU guard Lauren Davenport during their March 2 game at Moody Center. Holle's 3-pointer with 73 seconds left was the critical shot of Texas' Big 12 Tournament semifinal win over Kansas State.

Is Texas a 3-point shooting team now?

Of the 349 qualified Division I teams, Texas ranks 18th in 3-point shooting percentage at .364. That's good. Texas, though, has attempted only 374 3-pointers. Only 10 teams have tried fewer, and Ole Miss (364) is the only one of those 10 that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. That's not as good.

Texas coach Vic Schaefer has publicly bristled at the idea that his team needs to shoot more from deep. But should the Longhorns?

At the Big 12 Tournament, the biggest shot of UT's 71-64 win over Kansas State in the semifinals was a 3-pointer by Shay Holle that broke a tie with 73 seconds left. In the championship game, Texas knocked down seven of the 11 3-pointers it tried in a 70-53 beating of Iowa State.

Texas is averaging four 3-pointers per game. Over its 21 games against Big 12 opponents, Texas made five 3-pointers on just three occasions.

Drexel guard Amaris Baker launches a shot over Stony Brook defenders during the Coastal Conference Tournament championship game in Washington. Baker is Drexel's leading scorer, averaging 11.8 points.
Drexel guard Amaris Baker launches a shot over Stony Brook defenders during the Coastal Conference Tournament championship game in Washington. Baker is Drexel's leading scorer, averaging 11.8 points.

What does Drexel do well?

Despite being a No. 7 seed in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, Drexel won four times in a four-game span to secure its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Drexel is led by guards Amaris Baker and Brooke Mullin, who are averaging 11.8 and 10.3 points. Mullin, a graduate transfer, started last year for a Villanova team that reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

What do the Dragons do well? Drexel ranks 13th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 55.1 points per game.

Texas vs. Drexel prediction

Texas. Harvard is the only No. 16 seed ever to beat a No. 1 in the NCAA women's tournament, and that upset of Stanford happened in 1998. History won't repeat itself in Austin this week.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas vs. Drexel prediction: March Madness, NCAA women's pick