With the Lady Longhorns just days away from their biggest game of the year, Madison Booker is making headlines. The talented forward was named one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award on Tuesday. Each year, the award is given to the best Women’s College Basketball Player in the nation. While Booker faces competition, she has made a compelling case for being the winner.
During the regular season, the Mississippi native led the Longhorns’ offense while taking her game to another level. She set career-highs in points per game with 19.3, rebounds per game with 6.7, and assists per game with 3.8. Regardless of where Booker has been on the court, she has been dangerous with the ball in her hands.
Booker’s success has carried into March, where she has excelled during the biggest tournament of the year. The talented Junior set a program record for a single NCAA Tournament game with 40 points against Oregon in the Round of 32. Through the Longhorns three wins, Booker has scored 90 points while shooting 58.6 percent from the field.
Due to her play, Booker has continued to earn national recognition. She was named the SEC Tournament MVP and the Most Outstanding Player of the Fort Worth 3 Regional. While her goal is to bring a national title to Austin, winning the Wooden Award would not be a bad ending to the 2025-2026 campaign.
On Friday, the Longhorns star will get to strengthen her case for more hardware when Texas takes on UCLA in the Final Four. A big performance from Booker will be key in the Longhorns moving one win away from the national championship.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Lady Longhorns star Madison Booker named finalist for Wooden Award
Reporting by Jamie Gatlin, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
