Starting the season with a 20-point victory sure is a great way to announce yourself, and that is exactly what the Texas women's basketball team just did.
The Longhorns mounted an impressive 85-65 victory over the Farleigh Dickinson Knights, and it included six players coming off the bench for head coach Vic Schaefer, highlighting just how deep Texas's roster is this year.
Unsurprisingly, senior forward Madison Booker led the charge, putting up a team-high 24 points, alongside seven rebounds, five assists, and five steals.
However, the star of the show was undeniably center Breya Cunningham, who transferred to Texas two years ago and quickly became a starter last season. Against Farleigh Dickinson on Wednesday night, she put up a double-double, just the third of her career on the 40 Acres.
Cunningham amassed 21 points, 13 rebounds, one assist, and one block, dominating on both ends of the court and off the glass.
Diving a little deeper into her stats, she shot nearly 60% from the field and made her sole 3-point attempt, as well as shooting 100% from the charity stripe. Simply put, what a night for the senior center!
Vic Scheafer rotating in freshmen vs. FDU is a great sign of what's to come
Beyond the two veterans leading the way, the rest of the starting lineup had a relatively good showing, but nothing to necessarily write home about:
- Bryanna Preston (PG): 4 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
- Zya Vann (SG): 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, one assist
- Jayda Clark (G): 7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
What was noteworthy was just how many people came off the bench for Schaefer, many of whom were true freshmen.
Isi Etute, Lizzy Spaight, Addison Bjorn, and Amalia Holguin were all part of Texas's No. 1 recruiting class of 2026, and all checked in for at least one minute apiece. Etute racked up 24 minutes, producing nine points, five rebounds, and two assists.
Additionally, transfer center Lovisa Asbrink Hose checked in for a few minutes, as did returning sophomore guard Grace Prenter. While Asbrink Hose didn't record any stats during her four minutes on the court, Prenter did produce three points and one defensive rebound in her six minutes of game-time action.
The 20-point victory put the Horns right on track for yet another dominant season, but that doesn't mean that Schaefer won't have any notes for his team.
Texas gave up nine turnovers and allowed the Knights to bring down seven offensive rebounds, leading to second-chance opportunities. While FDU had 18 turnovers and allowed the Horns to snag 20 offensive rebounds, Schaefer prefers those margins to be as large as possible, and he expects his team to play at the highest level.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, the Longhorns will host the Northern Colorado Bears, and you should expect the Longhorns to put on a dominant performance once again.
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