Jayda Clark Scores 24 as Texas Beats South Dakota State 93-63 After Madison Booker Leaves With an Apparent Back Injury
Texas won its third straight to open the season at the Moody Center, 93-63. The win came with a worry: All-American Madison Booker left late in the first half and did not return.
AUSTIN — Texas closed out a 93-63 win over South Dakota State at the Moody Center on Wednesday night, a 30-point game that was never tied after the opening tip — and the Longhorns did most of it without their best player. Sophomore Jayda Clark poured in a game-high 24 points and Texas shot 57 percent from the field, according to the game accounts read by the desk, as Texas improved to 3-0 on the young season in front of 9,700 fans.
The concern came late in the first half. All-American Madison Booker left the game after an awkward fall, clutching at her back, and did not return, T-SPAN reported. Booker had 9 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 19 minutes when she left; she came into the night averaging 27.0 points, 5.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals through the season's first two games. No diagnosis was offered in the coverage read by the desk, and none is reported here — only that she did not come back.
Texas barely slowed without her. The Longhorns led 74-49 through three quarters and won the third frame 29-18 with Booker on the bench, T-SPAN reported, with Clark scoring 21 of her 24 on 9-of-12 shooting through three quarters. Texas never trailed, never allowed a tie, and closed the game on a 10-0 run.
The Jackrabbits leave Austin at 1-2, and Texas leaves the floor 3-0 — with the only question that matters now being Booker's back. On a roster the coverage describes as carrying five freshmen and only three returners from last year's Final Four squad, she is the player this season is built around, and the desk will follow her status as the program reports it.
