South Carolina advanced to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament championship game after defeating LSU 83-77 on Saturday in Greenville, South Carolina. The Gamecocks, ranked third nationally, are aiming for their fourth consecutive SEC Tournament title and their tenth in the last twelve seasons under head coach Dawn Staley.
Raven Johnson led South Carolina with a career-high 22 points and contributed eight assists. Joyce Edwards added 18 points, scoring 15 of those in the second half, and recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 11 rebounds. Ta’Niya Latson also scored 19 points, including ten in the first quarter.
For LSU, MiLaysia Fulwiley finished with 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting. Jada Richard contributed 17 points as LSU fell to South Carolina for the second time this season.
The game was played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena before a crowd of about 15,000 people. LSU started strong and held a four-point lead at halftime after Fulwiley scored 15 first-half points. However, South Carolina responded with a decisive run early in the third quarter to regain control.
In the final minutes, Edwards made key plays to secure the win for South Carolina. With less than a minute remaining and holding a five-point lead, Madina Okot scored on a layup that extended the margin and effectively sealed victory for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina will play either Texas or Mississippi in Sunday’s championship game.
With this win over LSU, South Carolina has now won nineteen straight games against them. Seven Gamecocks players scored during the match; four finished with double-digit point totals. Tessa reached double figures for her twenty-fourth game this season by scoring eleven points—eight coming in just one quarter—and Okot provided six of her eight total points during crucial moments late in the contest.
