COLUMBIA, S.C. — In an impressive display of talent, Tessa Johnson propelled No. 6 South Carolina to a victory over No. 15 Kentucky, scoring 16 points in their 78-66 win on Sunday. This triumph allowed South Carolina to clinch a share of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular-season championship.
The victory was mirrored by No. 1 Texas, who secured a win against Florida with a score of 72-46 on the same day. Both Texas and South Carolina completed their conference play with a 15-1 record. Although they split their meetings earlier in the season, South Carolina gained the No. 1 seed advantage for the upcoming SEC tournament in Greenville via a coin flip.
South Carolina had strong performances from Te-Hina Paopao, who contributed 13 points, and Chloe Kitts, who added 12 points along with 10 rebounds. The Gamecocks achieved a remarkable milestone by winning or sharing the SEC regular-season title for the fourth consecutive year, finishing their regular-season with a 27-3 record.
Kentucky, with a standing of 22-6 and 11-5 in conference play, was led by Clara Strack who poured in 23 points and Georgia Amoore who chipped in with 16. Despite their momentum from a decisive 82-58 victory over No. 11 Tennessee earlier in the week, Kentucky was unable to capitalize further.
At halftime, South Carolina led 41-33 but faced a challenge when Kentucky closed the gap to 63-62, driven by Amoore’s layup with seven minutes remaining. However, a critical block by Milaysia Fulwiley against Teonni Key shifted the momentum for South Carolina. Fulwiley quickly transitioned the block into a layup, sparking a pivotal 12-2 run that sealed the game.
The closing minutes saw South Carolina outscore Kentucky 13-2, ensuring their grasp on the victory.
Key insights from the game include Kentucky’s struggles with three-point shooting, achieving just 6 of 23 attempts. Conversely, South Carolina’s dominance on the boards was evident as they outrebounded Kentucky 44-28.
A significant moment arrived with five minutes left in the match, as Paopao’s crucial three-pointer extended South Carolina’s narrow lead, pivotal in maintaining their advantage.
Looking ahead, both teams will prepare for their participation in the SEC Tournament this week. Despite Sunday’s outcome, Kentucky secured their place as the No. 4 seed.
