The conference tournament showcased the best of the SEC's women's basketball teams.
Selection Sunday is near! On March 17th, 68 college women’s basketball teams will be chosen to compete in March Madness. After months of preparation, the NCAA’s best D1 teams await the chance to fight for the title of national champion. Teams that win their conference tournaments automatically qualify for March Madness, while the other 36 spots are given to the best remaining teams as determined by the NCAA D1 women’s basketball committee. Let’s recap the electrifying matchups from the SEC tournament.
The SEC features some of the most talented powerhouses in the nation: LSU, the 2023 NCAA champion; South Carolina, the undefeated no. 1 seed; Tennessee, the team with the second-most NCAA D1 titles (8); and Ole Miss, coached by the legendary Yolett McPhee-McCuin. These four teams had advanced to the SEC semifinals for a chance to win the conference title.
South Carolina faced off against Tennessee in a semifinal filled with heavy hitters. The Tennessee Lady Vols played some of their best ball in the second and third quarters, fighting to close the South Carolina Gamecocks’ lead. With only four minutes and 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Lady Vols’ Tamari Key scored a layup, assisted by Rickea Jackson, to tie up the game. Then, at 25 seconds, Tennessee got their first lead. Ultimately, Kamilla Cardoso sealed the deal for South Carolina, scoring the first three-pointer of her collegiate career. The Gamecocks won with a score of 74-73 thanks to Cardoso’s buzzer-beating three and advanced to the conference championship.
LSU met Ole Miss, whom it had beaten twice early in the season, in the second SEC semifinal. Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow, LSU’s star duo, both earned double-doubles. Reese finished with 21 points and 17 rebounds, while Morrow closed the game with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The LSU Tigers’ third-highest scorer, Flau’jae Johnson, led the team with 21 points, shooting 8-for-14 from the field with three three-pointers. The Ole Miss Rebels trailed 28-36 at the end of the first half, but managed to make it a two point game by the conclusion of the third quarter.
Both teams brought the pressure in the fourth quarter – then tragedy struck. In the last minutes of the game, the Tigers’ Last-Tear Poa took a charge that caused her to be carried off the court in a stretcher. Poa’s teammates, brought to tears, gathered on the sideline to pray as fans chanted Poa’s name. She was taken to St. Francis hospital for further evaluation and found to have movement in her extremities and clean CT scans. “That’s for Poa,” Johnson said after scoring a three-pointer to increase the Tigers’ lead to 67-59. LSU emerged victorious, finishing the game with a score of 75-67.
The LSU Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks faced off in the SEC championship in Greenville, South Carolina. LSU was without Poa due to the concussion she suffered against Ole Miss, and another starter, Mikaylah Williams, saw limited play time. As a result, LSU introduced new faces like freshman Janae Kent, who made her first start against the Gamecocks. The rest of the lineup was filled out by the Tigers’ regular starters, including Reese, Johnson, Morrow, and Hailey Van Lith.
LSU got off to a great start, leading 13-7 near the end of the first quarter. The Tigers’ defense held strong in the second quarter, leaving the Gamecocks scoreless for almost four minutes before halftime. But South Carolina went on a 10-1 run at the start of the third, claiming the first double-figure lead of the day. Freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley played a huge part in keeping the Gamecocks ahead, leading the team in scoring with 24 points. The Tigers made a comeback effort to end the quarter, with a layup from Reese and a three-pointer from Aalyah Del Rosario making it a six point game.
In the final quarter, South Carolina moved back into a double-figure lead. Van Lith responded by starting LSU on a 9-0 run. A close game can always cause a storm of emotions, especially during March Madness. With almost two minutes left in the game, a scuffle broke out, leading to the ejections of South Carolina’s Cardoso and players from both benches and a 5-on-5 game. Even without one of their stars, the Gamecocks came out on top, winning 79-72 after going 4-for-4 from the free throw line. South Carolina remains the only undefeated team across women and men’s college basketball. With the Gamecocks guaranteed a spot in the NCAA tournament, it’ll be exciting to watch them face off against the rest of D1 basketball’s best teams – and see who brings home the crown.
Edited by Ella Chang
Social media content created by Daryl Batt