The Daily Gamecock

The Gamecocks leave a mark by defeating the Vols in the SEC quarterfinals

South Carolina was able to secure a strong win against Tennessee in the SEC quarterfinals with the much-needed appearance of A'ja Wilson.

The Gamecocks swept the Vols off their feet, defeating them 73-62 and earning South Carolina a No. 2 seed in the tournament. 

There was much anticipation for the playmaker Wilson to announce if she would play in the tournament due to her struggle with vertigo. Wilson returned and made the difference Friday night as she scored 24 points and had 12 rebounds to help lead her to team to a victory after coming off of the bench with 6:29 left in the first quarter. 

With Wilson in the game, Gamecocks were able to knock the Vols off of their feet after the start of the fourth quarter 61-43, gaining the momentum that ultimately lead to their victory.

"I think we knew that we needed to buckle down and we had to get the job done," Wilson said. "So we came out with a lot of fire in that fourth quarter and we got it done."

Despite the stands being filled with Tennessee orange, Wilson expressed that you could hear "Gamecock nation," which was comforting for her team as they fought not in their hometown. 

The stakes are higher now as head coach Dawn Staley's team is takes its first step toward a fourth straight tournament title. No team in the history of the SEC has reached that accomplishment before, so the question will remain if the Gamecocks will be able to physically and mentally withstand the challenges.

For South Carolina, this is only the beginning as the team tries to prove its dominance once again. According to Wilson, it is not going to be easy be an easy task. This will test the players' mental strength and show who is willing to go the extra mile during each game. In the meantime, the Gamecocks will prepare themselves mentally and physicall for the next step in the tournament — their game against Georgia Saturday night at 7 p.m. 

"It takes a lot of rest, it really does, but we have to focus, probably going to watch this game going out," Wilson said. "Our biggest thing is just being mentally prepared because these are going to be times when young guys they are not used to playing back to back to back, this is what it is all about." 


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