South Carolina women's basketball fell to Texas in the SEC Tournament final Sunday by a score of 78-61. The loss is the team's third of the season and the second to the Longhorns.
Texas took the first lead of the day with a basket on the game’s first possession. The team went up 4-0 after graduate guard Rori Harmon knocked down a pull-up jumper.
The lead was pushed to 12-0 when junior forward Madison Booker knocked down a jumper, her fourth points of the game. South Carolina had four turnovers on five possessions.
South Carolina called a timeout with 6:47 to play in the first quarter when the team trailed 14-0, its biggest deficit of the season at any point. The Gamecocks had attempted just one shot and turned the ball over five times.
The Longhorns were 7-7 (100%) from the field, with sophomore forward Justice Carlton’s 6 points leading the way. The team had assisted on five of its seven makes.
Junior guard Tessa Johnson finally got things going for the Gamecocks, knocking down a 3-pointer right after the timeout.
Sophomore guard Maddy McDaniel got on the board quickly after subbing in, with her layup bringing the game back within 11 at 16-5. Texas immediately answered with a score at the other end.
Texas’ lead was up to 15, leading 20-5, with 2:30 remaining in the first. The team was 10-15 from the field.
Despite the large margin, McDaniel wasn’t phased, knocking down a 3-pointer in response.
With just over a minute remaining in the quarter, Carlton hit a 3-pointer, though freshman guard Agot Makeer answered with a triple of her own at the other end on the next possession.
The Longhorns led 27-12 at the end of the first quarter. Texas shot 68.4% (13-19) from the field compared to South Carolina’s mark of 30.8% (4-13). The Gamecocks had been out-rebounded 11-4 in the period, with senior center Madina Okot grabbing just one in eight minutes on the court.
Nine of South Carolina’s 12 points came from the 3-point line. McDaniel’s 5 points led the team, while Carlton had single-handedly outscored the Gamecocks, dropping 13 points herself, while assisting on three scores as well.
South Carolina started the second quarter off strong, forcing a stop on defense and earning a score at the other end. The Longhorns answered on the next possession, but Makeer earned her second score of the game in response.
After a steal by Makeer, freshman forward Alicia Tournebize got on the board thanks to an assist from senior guard Ta'Niya Latson. Five minutes into the second quarter, the Gamecocks had outscored the Longhorns 10-6 in the period. The team still trailed 33-22.
After a media timeout, freshman guard Aaliyah Crump knocked down a 3-pointer. She had 7 of the team’s 9 points so far in the quarter. Texas’ lead was up to 19 after a make from the 3-point line.
Edwards made back-to-back buckets late in the second quarter to help soften the damage by halftime, but the Longhorns still entered halftime up 17.
Texas shot 60.6% (20-33) from the field in the first half compared to 40% (10-25) by South Carolina. Johnson and Edwards led the team with 6 points each, while Carlton’s 13 led the Longhorns, trailed by junior forward Breya Cunningham’s 8.
South Carolina was out-rebounded 18-12 in the first half and posted 10 turnovers compared to Texas’ six.
Each team scored on its first three possessions of the second half. Two free-throw makes put the Longhorns up by 19 with six minutes left to play in the third.
A layup by McDaniel helped the Gamecocks pull closer, but the team’s defensive struggles continued when Booker answered on the other end. Tournebize responded with a bucket that pushed the score to 55-38 with 4:23 to play.
When Latson missed two free throws on a trip to the line, the team was up to five misses from the charity stripe.
Tournebize hit a jumper in the final minute of the third quarter to bring South Carolina within 13 entering the fourth quarter. She had 4 points in the period and a total of 6 through three quarters.
The Gamecocks outscored the Longhorns 16-12 in the third and out-shot the team 66.7% (6-9) to 31.3% (5-16). Each team had eight rebounds and three assists in the period.
Booker started the fourth quarter with a layup make, then Edwards answered at the other end, becoming the first Gamecock with double-digit points in the game.
Texas sophomore guard Jordan Lee hit a big 3-pointer with just under five minutes left in the game that put the Longhorns up 14. With 3:16 left in the game, South Carolina trailed 70-56. Returning from a timeout, Makeer missed two free throws after a technical foul on Texas.
That just about did it for the Gamecocks, who then turned the ball over and allowed a Texas score. South Carolina didn’t have an answer for the Longhorn offense, which pulled away to win the game 78-61 and win the SEC Championship just two years after joining the conference.
Texas finished the day shooting 54% (34-63) from the field and 57.1% (4-7) from the 3-point line. The team out-rebounded South Carolina 35-26, and the Gamecocks shot 46.9% (23-49) from the field and 25% (3-12) from the 3-point line.
South Carolina did not lead at any point in the game.
What's next?
South Carolina will have its seeding in the NCAA Tournament decided on Sunday, March 15, at 8 p.m. on ESPN. The team's next game will take place on either March 20 or 21.