No. 1 Seed South Carolina Set for SEC Tournament Quarterfinals
No. 5/5 South Carolina enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 1 seed, preparing to face either Vanderbilt or No. 18/17 Tennessee in the quarterfinals on Friday at noon at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
Gamecock Notables
- SEC Dominance: South Carolina claimed its fourth consecutive SEC Regular-Season Championship, finishing with a 15-1 conference record. Over the past four seasons, the Gamecocks boast an incredible 62-2 SEC record. This marks their ninth title in the last 12 years.
- Postseason Honors: Five Gamecocks earned SEC postseason honors:
- Joyce Edwards became just the third freshman in program history to earn First-Team All-SEC honors, joining A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston.
- MiLaysia Fulwiley was named SEC Sixth Woman of the Year, following in the footsteps of former All-Americans Alaina Coates and Kamilla Cardoso.
- Te-Hina Paopao secured All-SEC Second Team honors, making her an all-conference selection for all five years of her college career across two leagues.
- Sania Feagin and Raven Johnson were named to the SEC All-Defensive Team, marking only the fourth time in program history two Gamecocks made the list in the same season.
- Toughest Schedule in the Nation: South Carolina played the toughest regular-season schedule in the country, winning 27 of 30 games. The Gamecocks rank No. 2 in the NET rankings and No. 1 in NET strength of schedule. Their 17 Quad 1 games and 14 Quad 1 wins are the most in the nation.
- Defensive Strength: Despite not having a dominant center, South Carolina ranks sixth nationally with 5.8 blocks per game.
- Sania Feagin leads the team with 1.60 blocks per game (sixth in the SEC) and improves to 2.05 per game in conference play (second in the SEC).
- The Gamecock guards have stepped up defensively, blocking 2.03 shots per game as a unit, with MiLaysia Fulwiley ranking as the top shot-blocking guard in the SEC at 0.94 per game.
- Inside Play Dominance:
- The Gamecocks lead the nation in points in the paint (41.9 per game), accounting for 52.1% of their offense.
- They outscore opponents by 15.9 points per game in the paint and have only lost the paint battle twice this season.
- Chloe Kitts’ Breakout:
- Junior Chloe Kitts was named SEC Player of the Week after a triple-double vs. Ole Miss and a double-double against No. 15/14 Kentucky.
- She has been dominant on the glass, averaging 9.8 rebounds over her last six games, including 4.2 offensive rebounds per game.
- Her surge pushed her to fourth in the SEC in rebounding (8.25 per game) and sixth in offensive boards (2.81 per game).
- Hometown Stars Shine:
- Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley, both South Carolina natives, have led the team in scoring 20 times this season, including 12 of 16 SEC games.
By the Numbers
- 9 – South Carolina has been the No. 1 seed in nine of the last 12 SEC Tournaments.
- 10 – The Gamecocks lead the nation with 10 wins over ranked teams, including five victories over top-10 opponents.
- 13-3 – Under Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks have a 13-3 record in their SEC Tournament openers.
The Vanderbilt Series
- Overall Record: South Carolina leads 23-21 but has dominated under Dawn Staley (18-2), winning 17 straight matchups.
- SEC Tournament History: Vanderbilt won the only two tournament meetings (1992, 2000).
- Last Meeting (Feb. 23, 2024): South Carolina defeated Vanderbilt 82-54 in Nashville, with:
- MiLaysia Fulwiley tying her career-high 24 points (later earning SEC Player of the Week).
- Joyce Edwards posting a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double.
The Tennessee Series
- Overall Record: Tennessee leads 49-16, but South Carolina has been dominant under Dawn Staley (15-12), winning eight straight.
- SEC Tournament History: South Carolina holds a 5-3 edge, including last season’s miraculous game-winner by Kamilla Cardoso in the semifinals.
- Last Meeting (Jan. 27, 2024): South Carolina defeated Tennessee 70-63 in Knoxville after holding off a late rally.
- Joyce Edwards led with 18 points, including four key fourth-quarter points, earning SEC Freshman of the Week.
- Five Gamecocks scored in double figures.
SEC Tournament Success
- All-Time Record: South Carolina is 34-25 in the SEC Tournament since joining the league in 1991-92.
- Dawn Staley’s Impact: The Gamecocks are 31-8 under Staley, winning eight championships in the last 10 years.
- Championship History:
- Nine finals appearances, with eight titles.
- Only team in SEC history to win four consecutive tournament championships (2015-2018).
- Additional titles in 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024.
Neutral Court Performance
- All-Time Record: South Carolina is 174-96 (.644) on neutral courts.
- Dawn Staley’s Record: She is 91-27 (.771) at neutral sites, including 56-17 (.764) in postseason play.
South Carolina looks to continue its SEC dominance as it begins its quest for another tournament championship on Friday at noon.
