AUSTIN, Texas (Interstat) — The Texas Longhorns, one of the nation’s elite teams, methodically dismantled the visiting Missouri State Lady Bears from the opening tip, securing an 87-45 victory in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game at the Frank Erwin Center on Friday night.

The contest was never in doubt, as Texas established immediate and overwhelming control. The Longhorns opened the game on a 15-0 run, a stretch that encapsulated the evening’s themes of defensive pressure and interior dominance. Missouri State did not score its first points until a Kaemyn Bekemeier 3-pointer with six minutes remaining in the first quarter, by which time Texas had already built a 12-point lead.

The most important part of the game was this initial surge and the foundational advantages it created. Texas exploited its significant size and athleticism advantages to dominate the paint, outscoring Missouri State 50-12 in that area. The Longhorns also forced the Lady Bears into a series of early turnovers, converting them into 28 points off turnovers compared to just nine for Missouri State. This combination of stifling defense and efficient, high-percentage offense in the lane allowed Texas to build a 44-19 halftime lead, effectively deciding the outcome before the teams reached the locker room.

Missouri State, which finishes its season with a 23-13 record, struggled mightily against Texas’s length and defensive intensity. The Lady Bears shot just 4 points in the first quarter and 8 in the second. A slightly more productive third quarter, where they scored 22 points, was merely a footnote as Texas answered with 23 points of its own to maintain a commanding 67-45 lead entering the final period. The Longhorns then closed the game on a 20-0 run, holding Missouri State scoreless for the final nine minutes and 29 seconds.

Texas, now 32-3, showcased a balanced and potent attack. Jordan Lee, a 6-foot guard from Stockton, California, led all scorers with 19 points. Madison Booker of Ridgeland, Mississippi, added 14 points, 3 assists and a block, while 6-foot-6 post player Kyla Oldacre from Mason, Ohio, controlled the interior with 15 points. Bryanna Preston provided valuable playmaking off the bench, contributing 10 points and 4 assists.

For Missouri State, Bekemeier, a 5-9 guard from Republic, Missouri, led her team with 14 points in 36 minutes of action. Maiesha Washington of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Lainie Douglas of Overland Park, Kansas, each added 11 points, but the Lady Bears could not find consistent offense against the Longhorns’ defense.

The Longhorns’ victory was a testament to their depth and game plan execution. They consistently found easy baskets near the rim, with Oldacre and Breya Cunningham providing a formidable presence. The defensive pressure, led by guards Rori Harmon and Booker, disrupted Missouri State’s offensive flow from the outset, leading to 22 Lady Bear turnovers.

A crowd of 7,938 watched as Texas continued its march through the postseason, demonstrating why it entered the game as an overwhelming favorite. The Longhorns’ performance was a comprehensive display of power basketball, with the game’s decisive phase occurring in the opening minutes as they built an insurmountable lead through defensive dominance and paint scoring. Missouri State’s season, which included a recent 85-75 win over Stephen F. Austin, concludes with the loss, while Texas advances, having lived up to its lofty expectations.