The No. 6 South Carolina women's basketball team (27-3, 15-1 SEC) beat the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats (22-6, 11-5 SEC) 78-66 at Colonial Life Arena on Sunday afternoon.
The Gamecocks will compete as the No. 1 seed in the 2025 SEC Women's Tournament, winning the coin toss against Texas that would determine the top seed as each team went 15-1 in the Southeastern Conference.
"I think it was kind of exciting and the build, that was good," head coach Dawn Staley said. "When you're in your part of the equation, it doesn't feel good to have your faith in the coin toss."
The Gamecocks and Wildcats spent the first quarter going back and forth in scoring. The Gamecocks kept a strong defense, making the Wildcats offense struggle, scoring just 14 points on 6-20 (30%) shooting from the field.
The Gamecocks ended the first quarter up 21-14 after a 7-0 run to close the quarter out. The South Carolina bench contributed 9 points in the first quarter.
The Wildcats fought back in the second quarter with a stronger defense. The Wildcats had four turnovers, while the Gamecocks only had one.
The Gamecocks started the quarter with a 6-4 run, but the Wildcats ended the quarter scoring 19 points. The second quarter ended with the Gamecocks up 41-33, making 9-17 (52.9%) of their field goals.
In the first half, the Gamecocks made 19-34 (55.9%) field goals and only 1-6 (16.7%) on 3-pointers. The Wildcats only made 15-34 (44.1%) of its field goals but outnumbered the Gamecocks in making 3-11 (27.3%) 3-pointers.
The Wildcats went through the third quarter with a four-minute scoring drought, not making a field goal with seven minutes left in the quarter. The Gamecocks and Wildcats both held strong defensive efforts, with no one scoring for three minutes.
The Wildcats fought back to catch up with the Gamecocks with four minutes left in the third quarter, scoring 12 out of its 20 third-quarter points in that span. The Gamecocks closed the third quarter up 58-53, despite the hot shooting from Kentucky, who made three 3-pointers in the quarter.
The Gamecocks fought to stay ahead during the start of the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks played with an aggressive defense in the second half, forcing seven turnovers and scoring 9 points off those turnovers.
South Carolina ended the game on a 13-2 run while also making four free throws in the final frame. The Wildcats struggled to keep up with the Gamecocks and spent half of the quarter in a scoring drought, leading to a Gamecock victory.
Gamecocks with balanced scoring
The Gamecocks showcased multiple players scoring in a well-rounded offense. The team ended the game shooting 32-65 (49.2%) from the field, with 44 points made in the paint.
The Gamecocks had four players score at least 10 points, with sophomore guard Tessa Johnson leading the team with 16 points and senior guard Te-Hina Paopao not far behind, scoring 13. Junior forward Chloe Kitts scored 12 points and sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 10.
Kentucky finishes strong despite a slow start
The Kentucky Wildcats started the game slow, only shooting 30% from the field in the first quarter. The Gamecocks were able to take advantage with a strong defense, getting ahead early against the Wildcats.
The Wildcats picked up its pace in the second quarter, playing a closer game. The Gamecocks won the quarter 20-19, but it was an improvement from a lopsided first quarter.
Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks thought his team improved as the game went on but didn't capitalize on big opportunities.
"There was a couple of low opportunities that just didn't go our way, and we didn't respond very well," Brooks said.
The Gamecocks won the second half 37-33, but Kentucky improved offensively, shooting 12-29 (41.4%) from the field. Sophomore center Clara Strack scored 19 of her 23 points in the second half for the Wildcats.
South Carolina bench outplays Kentucky
The Gamecocks' reserves played an important role against the Wildcats, outscoring Kentucky's bench 32-3 with 32 out of its 78 points made from the bench.
Tessa Johnson led the entire team, scoring 16 points alone and shooting 2-2 on her 3-pointers.
“I've had to learn that if my shot’s not falling, I have to go do something else out there,” Tessa Johnson said. “And luckily, today it was falling a little bit, but I just have to make a second effort, and I've been working on it this whole season.”
Fulwiley played an aggressive defense, finishing with two blocks and four steals, while scoring 10 points. Freshman forward Joyce Edwards scored 6 points, contributing with two offensive rebounds.
What’s next?
Check out the Gamecocks (27-3, 15-1 SEC) as the No. 1 seed in the 2025 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament. South Carolina will play in the quarterfinals at noon on March 7. The opponent is unknown, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.