When senior forward Madison Booker’s layup with 1:30 left in the second quarter left her lying on the floor holding her lower back, no one inside the Moody Center took a breath.
Booker’s teammates crowded around her, looking at the Texas bench, seemingly unsure of what to do. Slowly, she made her way to her feet, prompting nervous applause from the fans. But when it was time to warm up after halftime, the beloved player didn’t resume her usual spot on the court.
“(Booker) didn’t play tonight because she didn’t feel good,” head coach Vic Schaefer said. “That says a lot about what happened, because (Booker) is tough.”
For the final 20 minutes, Texas women’s basketball would have to hold its own against South Dakota State — a team that Schaefer deemed “a big challenge.”
The Longhorns ultimately took the victory from the Jackrabbits 93-63 after a stellar performance from Aussie sophomore guard Jayda Clark, racking up 24 points during her third start in burnt orange.
“She’s so worried about stepping on somebody’s toes and fitting in, and I didn’t recruit her to fit in,” Schaefer said. “That third quarter, she took over and really she looked like the kid I thought she was going to be for us. She’s shown flashes of it all year and I just thought tonight she really stepped up.”
The season has been a lesson for this rebuilt roster: When teams surprise you, lean on the veterans, and when the veterans falter, trust yourself.
Clark had been advised by the coaching staff to take the shots when they were open instead of passing to a teammate, which is a style of play that she was not used to. But with Booker out, it was time for someone to fill in. Clark became that person.
“I think when (Booker) went down, the first thing through my mind was ‘ok, yep, let’s step it up, I’ve got some shoes to fill here,’” Clark said. “I kind of found my flow state a little bit, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”
She shot 10-for-15 from the field and made three of her four three-point attempts. Clark is continuing to play more physical, defensive basketball. That aspect is still a work in progress, with the 21-year-old only registering one steal on Wednesday night while junior guards Bryanna Preston and Zya Vann racked up four and two steals respectively.
The Longhorns aggressively pressed the Jackrabbits and ultimately forced 28 points on 21 turnovers, while Texas only lost possession five times.
Preston and Vann often worked in tandem against South Dakota State, each scoring over 10 points in 30 minutes of play. Vann racked up a 68.7% floor percentage, with Preston right behind her, sitting at 61.4%.
The bench is still playing a significant role in Texas’ strategy, contributing 25 points to the Longhorns’ overall score. Freshman guard Addison Bjorn shot perfectly today, making all three field goals and both of her free throws. Freshman forward Isi Etute equaled Bjorn’s eight points, going 3-for-6 from the field and making her two free throws as well.
Schaefer is still waiting for the freshmen to become big contributors on both sides of the ball, but knows that success will come with more time on the court.
“They’re going to be great (and) again, there’s a process to this,” Schaefer said. “Enjoy the process, be a part of the process, because nothing happens overnight.”
The Longhorns will return to the Moody Center on Saturday at 12 p.m. to take on Tarleton State.
