AUSTIN (Interstat) — Madison Booker scored 30 points and Texas used an early burst to pull away from Northern Colorado for a 91-29 victory in a women’s NCAA Division I game Saturday at the Frank Erwin Center. The Longhorns improved to 2-0, while the Bears fell to 1-1 before an announced attendance of 9,306. Texas controlled the game from the opening minutes and never let Northern Colorado establish an offensive rhythm. The Longhorns forced 27 turnovers and repeatedly turned those mistakes into scoring chances while improving their early-season form after a season-opening win over Fairleigh Dickinson. Northern Colorado, which opened its season with a win over Hastings, struggled to find consistent offense against Texas’s size and pressure. Booker had 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the opener, and she picked up where she left off against the Bears.

Texas opened with a driving layup by Bryanna Preston and a free throw from Booker before Mia Galbraith answered for Northern Colorado with a pullup jump shot. Booker then made one of two free throws, connected on a 3-point jump shot and added another free throw. Jayda Clark hit consecutive 3-pointers and made two free throws to help the Longhorns build a quick cushion. Galbraith made a layup and Neenah George added a turnaround jump shot for the Bears, but Texas kept answering. Booker made a driving layup, and Brihanna Crittendon closed the first-quarter scoring with a floating jump shot. The Longhorns kept pressing in the second quarter as Crittendon made a layup, Booker scored inside, Addison Bjorn converted driving layups and Lizzy Spaight added a layup, a free throw and another basket. Breya Cunningham also scored repeatedly around the basket, while Northern Colorado got a layup from George and a free throw from Tatum West. Texas built a commanding halftime lead and never allowed the Bears to mount a sustained run.

The Longhorns stretched the margin after the break. Booker opened the third quarter with a layup, Galbraith answered with a driving layup for Northern Colorado, and Cunningham made a jump shot. Alex Pirog hit a jump shot for the Bears, but Booker responded with a layup and a jump shot before making four free throws and later adding a 3-point stepback jump shot. Tatum West scored on a driving layup for Northern Colorado, and Da’nae Jefferson made a free throw and a late pullup jump shot. Addison Bjorn made two free throws and a driving layup for Texas, and Crittendon added a turnaround jump shot to help the Longhorns carry a large lead into the fourth quarter. Booker’s individual burst in the third quarter was the most important stretch of the game, as it erased any thought of a Northern Colorado comeback and allowed Texas to rotate deeper into its bench. The Bears had brief answers from Galbraith and West, but they could not string together enough stops to slow the Longhorns.

Texas kept control in the final quarter. Addison Bjorn made a jump shot, Booker added a jump shot and Preston hit a 3-point jump shot. Northern Colorado got a layup from George, a layup from Averie Varhaug, a layup from Pirog, a 3-point field goal from Heather Baymon and a free throw from Ellie Magestro-Kennedy. Texas closed with a layup by Isi Etute, a turnaround jump shot by Lovisa Asbrink Hose, a layup by Bjorn, a free throw by Spaight and a layup by Grace Prenter. The Longhorns’ defense continued to bother Northern Colorado, and Texas finished the game with a comfortable margin after spreading minutes among its rotation. The Bears’ best offensive moments came from Galbraith and George early, but they were unable to sustain scoring against Texas’s pressure.

Booker finished with 30 points, three rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes. Cunningham had 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes. Bjorn added 13 points, two rebounds and one block in 18 minutes, while Crittendon contributed 11 points, one rebound and one assist in 17 minutes. Clark had eight points, one rebound, two assists and one block in 13 minutes. Spaight scored eight points with one rebound and four assists in 17 minutes, and Preston had five points, two rebounds, three assists and one block in 22 minutes. Texas finished with 12 assists, 10 offensive rebounds and seven blocks. The Longhorns also got scoring from Etute, Asbrink Hose and Prenter late in the fourth quarter as the bench closed out the win.

Northern Colorado was led by Galbraith, who had seven points and four rebounds in 20 minutes. Pirog added four points and three rebounds in 22 minutes, and West had three points, three rebounds and one assist in 32 minutes. George, Jefferson, Varhaug, Baymon and Magestro-Kennedy also scored for the Bears. Northern Colorado shot 12 of 38 from the floor, 1 of 8 from 3-point range and 4 of 8 from the free throw line. The Bears had four offensive rebounds, five assists and 27 turnovers, which repeatedly gave Texas extra possessions and transition chances. Northern Colorado’s turnover total was more than its 12 made field goals, a reflection of how difficult the Longhorns made each possession.

Texas shot 33 of 59 from the floor, 5 of 16 from beyond the arc and 20 of 27 from the free throw line. The Longhorns had 10 offensive rebounds, 12 assists, seven blocks and only eight turnovers. Northern Colorado scored 29 points from 65 possessions and had an offensive rating of 44.8, while Texas scored 91 points from 70 possessions and had an offensive rating of 130.3. The Longhorns’ advantage at the free throw line and their ability to force turnovers helped them separate throughout the game. Texas is scheduled to host South Dakota State next, while Northern Colorado returns home to face Northern N.M.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Texas 74, Northern Colorado 65. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Texas with a 99.9 percent probability to win.