Lee has career game, No. 4 Texas hammers Incarnate Word in season opener
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Sophomore Jordan Lee scored a career-best 21 points and No. 4 Texas opened its season with a 123-51 win against Incarnate Word on Monday night.
The Longhorns scored 27 straight points in the first quarter on the way to their 25th consecutive win at home. The 72-point win matched the margin of victory in last season's first game against Southeast Missouri State.
Lee hit 9 of 14 shots, making three 3-pointers.
Madison Booker, the Southeastern Conference player of the year last season, added 18 points.
Kyla Oldacre and Breya Cunningham, who rotate at center for the Longhorns, scored 17 and 16 points, respectively. Each hit all seven shot attempts from the field.
Freshman Aaliyah Crump and Bryanna Preston each scored 16.
Texas shot 65.4% from the field and converted 7 of 17 3-point shots (41.2%), perhaps an important development. The Longhorns hope for more production and efficiency in that area than last season, when they ranked 350th in 3-point attempts per game (10.4), 347th in 3-point baskets (3.1) and 224th in accuracy (30.1%).
Destiny Whitaker led Incarnate Word with 14 points, and Gwendlyn McGrew scored 12.
The Cardinals shot just 27.7%, missed 14 of 17 3-pointers, and committed 25 turnovers. Thirteen of the turnovers were steals by Texas. Rori Harmon led the Longhorns with three of those.
Texas used its size advantage to create a 46-23 rebounding advantage. The Longhorns turned 14 offensive rebounds into 25 points.
Up Next
Incarnate Word is at Abilene Christian on Friday, and Texas hosts No. 24 Richmond on Friday.