South Carolina completed their perfect season and conference tournament play as they defeated rival Louisiana State University in the SEC championship final, 79-72.
The Gamecocks finished the regular season and conference tournament 32-0 and defeated the 2023 NCAA National Champions Tigers. It was the second time USC defeated LSU this year.
The game was hotly contested, as both teams traded leads until deep in the fourth quarter when a steal turned into a fast break and a uniform tugging incident that caused both benches to empty at midcourt. After 20 minutes of review, the officials ejected superstar Kamilla Cardoso for the remainder of the game. Later it was revealed Cardoso will be required to sit out the first half of the Gamecocks’ NCAA tournament first round game as well.
Both benches were also removed from the arena with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter, and the game was completed with just the remaining players on the floor. After the game, Carolina head coach Dawn Staley apologized to the television audience for her team’s role in the fracas, saying she didn’t want this incident to reflect poorly on women’s basketball.
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers went on a nine point run (with Hailey Van Lith scoring five of those points). The teams traded baskets and free throws. MiLaysia Fulwiley scored a career-high 24 points to lead top-seeded South Carolina past the 2-seed Tigers’ in the 79-72 championship win. The game had almost a home court atmosphere for the Gamecocks as they played in front of 13,163, a sold-out crowd at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
LSU’s Aneesha Morrow led LSU’s scorers with 19 points, with superstar Angel Reese adding 15 points and 13 rebounds to the effort. Van Lith had 14 points and Flau’jae Johnson added 13. LSU concluded the regular season 28 – 5, 13 – 3 in conference play.
The SEC Championship game concluded South Carolina’s a second straight year of spectacular regular season play. Despite graduating five starters (who are now playing in the WNBA), Staley’s young team showed maturity and resilience in the face of LSU’s determined pressure. Off an out of bounds play, Cardoso hit a 3 point buzzer beater in the semifinal game versus Tennessee that left the Volunteers stunned, losing 74-73. Cardoso had never shot a three pointer before for the Gamecocks.
In the last decade, South Carolina has won eight out of ten SEC titles. According to the SEC website, South Carolina earns its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance and 12th straight while seeking its third national championship. The Gamecocks have 44-17 record in the NCAA Tournament having reached the Final Four each of the past three seasons but losing in the national semifinals in 2021 and 2023.
The NCAA Selection show is scheduled for Sunday. The Gamecocks are expecting to be the number one seed. The most recent seedings in the Top-16 reveal showed South Carolina, Ohio State, UCLA and Stanford, but since the conference tournaments began, only South Carolina has earned a conference title.