The SEC Championship is set for a rematch after South Carolina and Texas both advanced with wins in the semifinals at Bon Secours Arena Saturday.
The top-seeded Gamecocks defeated fourth seed LSU 83-77, while the third seed Longhorns defeated seventh seed Ole Miss 85-68.
South Carolina produced a second-half comeback after trailing at halftime to outlast LSU despite a strong effort by former Gamecock, now Tiger, junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, who had 24 points. Senior guard Flau'jae Johnson, the Tigers' second-leading scorer on the season, was held to just 6 points and 1-8 shooting on the day. She did make all four of her free throws, though.
It was senior guard Raven Johnson for South Carolina who pushed the team to the finish line, posting a 12-point third quarter and a five-assist fourth quarter. Her 22 total points set a new career-high, topping her previous best set in the team's first matchup with the Tigers earlier in the season.
Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards' 10-point fourth quarter helped seal the win for South Carolina, sending the team to its seventh straight SEC title game.
On the other side of the bracket, Texas handled business despite two 20-point scorers for Ole Miss in the matchup. After trailing by 10 at half, the Rebels cut the Longhorns lead to just 2 points entering the fourth quarter. The disparity in rest between the two teams shined through in the final period, with Texas outscoring Ole Miss by 15 in the fourth.
Ole Miss earned an upset win over No. 2 Vanderbilt on Friday, but the team's 13-point fourth quarter wasn't enough to earn its second upset of the tournament. Longhorn junior forward Madison Booker alone matched the Rebels' point total in the final quarter, adding to a career-high 31-point day. She also grabbed 11 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks.
Booker has been a formidable force this season, averaging 18.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, ranking as the SEC's fifth leading scorer and 15th leading rebounder. In two games against South Carolina this season, Booker has totaled 40 points, 14 rebounds and seven steals.
The Gamecocks have faced off against Texas twice already this season, with the first coming in the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas on Nov. 27. The Longhorns handed South Carolina its first loss of the season in a 66-64 game that ended with a game-winning bucket by graduate guard Rori Harmon with one second to play. Longhorn sophomore guard Jordan Lee led all scorers with 19 points in the game.
South Carolina's scoring efforts were led by senior guard Ta'Niya Latson and Edwards, who each had 16 points in the game. In the loss, the Gamecocks made the same amount of shots (25), hit more 3-pointers, had more assists and had less turnovers than the Longhorns.
When the two teams faced off again on Jan. 15 at Colonial Life Arena, South Carolina had its revenge in a 68-65 victory.
Junior guard Tessa Johnson's three makes from beyond the arc and a three-steal, two-block defensive effort by Edwards helped capture the win late in the fourth quarter.
All five Gamecock starters were in double-figure scoring, and freshman guard Agot Makeer helped with 8 points off the bench. In both games, the team who trailed after three quarters won the game.
"Playing hard and hitting first," Latson said on preparing for a third matchup with Texas. "We've got to go out there ready because they're going to be ready for us."
Sunday's championship game will be decided by whoever better controls the paint. The Gamecocks have scored over 50% of their points this season in the paint, averaging 46.8 points in that space per game. On average, South Carolina outscores its SEC opponents in the paint by 17.9 points.
Texas has allowed the fewest opponent rebounds per game in the SEC this season at 30.4. In its win over Ole Miss, the Rebels were outscored in the paint by 14. Across the Longhorns' two matchups with the Gamecocks this season, they have out-rebounded the team by 12.
Texas senior center Kyla Oldacre enters the SEC Championship coming off a 19-point, eight-rebound outing off the bench in the semifinals. South Carolina will likely have to lean on senior center Madina Okot to establish a presence down low, as she's averaging 16.8 points and 13.2 rebounds over the last five games.
Edwards has dominated in the SEC Tournament, and if South Carolina plans to minimize Booker's efforts, that will need to continue. Edwards is averaging 19.5 points on 60.0 percent shooting across the team's two tournament games, adding 7.5 rebounds per game as well.
"We know them well," Edwards said. "I feel like Texas is a defensive game. Just like we know them, they know us. They know all our play calls — we know all their play calls. It's just about who can play the hardest."
South Carolina has won nine of its previous 10 SEC Tournament title appearances, having made the game in all but one season since 2015. With a win on Sunday, the Gamecocks would tie Tennessee's conference record of four straight titles, with the Lady Volunteers doing so twice (1988-91, 1998-2001).
"Coming out tomorrow and just throwing the first punch," senior forward Maryam Dauda said.