South Carolina Survives Vanderbilt Rally, Closes Strong for SEC Tournament Win
GREENVILLE — Vanderbilt gave it their all, but South Carolina proved too strong in the end.
Chloe Kitts delivered a dominant performance with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while MiLaysia Fulwiley added 15 points off the bench, helping top-seeded South Carolina hold off a furious rally from No. 8 seed Vanderbilt in an 84-63 victory on March 7 in the SEC Tournament.
The Gamecocks (28-3) were unstoppable in the first half, shooting a scorching 67% from the field and building a 25-point halftime lead. But the Commodores didn’t go down easily. Mikayla Blakes drained a 3-pointer with 4:22 remaining, cutting the lead to 68-63 and making things interesting.
“It was a game of runs. Obviously, we didn’t like when they ran it back at us,” said USC head coach Dawn Staley. “But that is a tough Vandy team that’s never going to give up. … You let your foot off the gas, they’re going to make you pay. And they did that.”
South Carolina, however, had the final say. The Gamecocks erupted for a 16-0 run in the last four minutes, sealing the win. Kitts was the catalyst, scoring 10 of those points, continuing her red-hot form after posting a triple-double last week against Ole Miss.
“When we had to get down and get a bucket, we called Chloe Kitts’ number, and she came through for us,” Staley said. “She’s playing the way she envisioned herself playing. … Chloe worked her tail off. She’s got pro habits, and now she’s finally getting the results of what she was trying to work for all season long.”
Sania Feagin contributed 13 points and nine rebounds, while Joyce Edwards added 12 points, marking her sixth double-digit scoring effort in the last seven games.
With the victory, South Carolina improved to 16-2 all-time in Greenville for the SEC Tournament and 16-1 under Dawn Staley. Kitts was nearly unstoppable, making 12 of her 14 shots as the Gamecocks advanced, keeping their championship hopes alive.
