Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (11/03/2026) — Madison Booker poured in 24 points and Breya Cunningham delivered a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double as the Texas Longhorns opened the 2026 season with an 85-65 victory over the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights on Tuesday night at Moody Center.
Result
Texas controlled the contest wire-to-wire, never trailing and holding the lead at every juncture of the game. The Longhorns finished with a commanding 43-29 rebounding advantage and committed just nine turnovers compared to 18 for the Knights, translating those margins into a 20-point final cushion in front of 9,688 fans at Moody Center.
How It Happened
Texas came out firing from the opening tip. Cunningham drilled a 25-foot three-pointer just over 10 seconds in to open the scoring, and the Longhorns quickly extended that into a dominant 15-0 run that made it 15-2 before Fairleigh Dickinson could gain any rhythm. By the 3:03 mark of the first quarter, Booker had drained a 25-footer off a Cunningham assist to push the advantage to 22-2, and the game's tone was firmly set. Fairleigh Dickinson's Reese Downey and Ane Valle each connected from deep in the closing minutes of the period — Valle's 22-foot shot with 10 seconds remaining made it 28-8 — but Lizzy Spaight converted a driving layup at the buzzer to send Texas into the second quarter ahead 30-8.
The second quarter offered the Knights some momentum. Valle knocked down another three-pointer from 23 feet to make it 31-13, and Theresa Biladi added a long-range shot to trim the deficit to 18 at 35-17. Downey connected from 24 feet to bring Fairleigh Dickinson within 18 again at 42-24, then Ally Kaminski answered with a Longhorns three-pointer — sending Texas into the half up 44-27.
The third quarter ended any realistic comeback. A Zya Vann three-pointer at the 4:49 mark pushed the Texas advantage to 23 at 58-35, and Bryanna Preston capped the period with a Booker-assisted driving layup, extending the lead to 66-42 entering the final frame.
Turning Point
Texas's opening 15-0 burst established the decisive framework for the night. Cunningham's initial three-pointer ignited the run, and the Longhorns kept building until Fairleigh Dickinson faced a double-digit deficit from which no recovery was possible. The rebounding edge proved equally decisive — Texas's 43-29 advantage on the boards generated second-chance opportunities throughout the first half and denied the Knights any sustained offensive momentum, compounding the margin at every turn.
Star of the Game
Booker was the game's most complete performer, finishing with 24 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in an effort that touched every dimension of play. She converted at high-leverage moments — including the 25-footer in the first quarter that pushed the lead to 20 — while distributing effectively to open teammates throughout the night.
Cunningham matched her with a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double that gave Texas a dominant interior presence all 40 minutes. Her combination of perimeter range and rebounding activity offered Fairleigh Dickinson no clean defensive answer.
For the Knights, Downey refused to concede in the fourth quarter. After Isi Etute's tip-in layup made it 68-42 to open the period, Downey delivered a flurry of deep shots — a step-back jumper from 26 feet, then back-to-back three-pointers at the 5:28 and 2:18 marks — before finishing with a game-high 17 points. Valle added 10 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
What It Means
For the Texas Longhorns, the result offers a confident launching point for the 2026 season. The Longhorns demonstrated the kind of depth that projects well for Big 12 and non-conference competition: Etute contributed nine points and five rebounds, Clark added seven points and six rebounds, and Vann's third-quarter three-pointer anchored a decisive stretch run. With nearly 10,000 fans filling Moody Center for a November opener, Texas paired an encouraging on-court performance with the kind of home-floor atmosphere it will look to sustain deep into the schedule.
For Fairleigh Dickinson, the defeat came on the road against a Power Four program, though the Knights' numbers offered genuine positives — 48 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from three-point range are competitive marks against any opponent. Downey's 17-point performance demonstrated the perimeter firepower that will serve the Knights well in their own conference schedule ahead.
