South Carolina flexed its muscle down the stretch of its 78-66 victory over no. 15 Kentucky on Senior Day at the Colonial Life Arena, Sunday. The Wildcats closed to within a point before the Gamecocks countered with a 13-2 run that clinched the game and, as a result, a share of the SEC regular season championship.
With USC clinging to a 65-64 lead with 6:12 remaining, Tessa Johnson followed up her own miss to kickstart the rally and turn the momentum. The Gamecocks ramped up the defensive intensity and forced turnovers on the five of the next seven Kentucky possessions, pushing the lead back into double digits in the process. UK didn’t commit a turnover in the third quarter, but lost the ball seven times in the final 5:15.
Tessa Johnson led the Gamecocks with 16 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the field. Johnson’s scoring often came in pivotal moments, with 11 points coming in the second half. Chloe Kitts posted her eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Te-Hina Paopao (13 points) and MiLaysia Fulwiley (10 points) also scored in double figures.
The Gamecocks’ depth was again a critical factor as South Carolina enjoyed a 32-3 advantage in bench scoring.
USC (27-3, 15-1), ranked sixth nationally, finish conference play tied atop the standings with no. 1 Texas. Having exhausted all other tiebreakers, the top seed in the conference tournament came down to a coin flip. The Gamecocks won the toss and will be the no. 1 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament at Bon Secours Arena in Greenville. As the top seed, South Carolina will receive a double bye and play its first game as part of quarterfinals at noon, Friday. USC’s first opponent will be 8th-seeded Vanderbilt, 9th-seeded Tennessee or 16th-seeded Texas A&M.
Final Stats
Dawn Staley postgame press conference
