Gamecocks Silence Doubters with Dominant SEC Title Win Over No. 1 Texas
For weeks, the narrative around South Carolina was clear: the Gamecocks’ dynasty was crumbling. The rise of Texas and the LA powerhouses supposedly signaled the end of Dawn Staley’s reign. When the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee pegged them as a No. 2 seed in its second Top 16 reveal, critics were quick to declare them out of the elite conversation.
Big mistake.
The truth? South Carolina never left.
To justify their No. 2 seed, the committee ignored its own criteria. The Gamecocks had already dominated Texas in their first meeting and barely lost the second. While other teams stumbled late in the season, South Carolina surged.
Sure, the Gamecocks were blown out at home by UConn, but one uncharacteristic loss doesn’t define an entire season. It certainly felt like Gamecock fatigue was the real issue.
Dawn Staley called it out directly:
“If beating us gives the people who beat us so much credit, yet when we’ve had some of the toughest stretches in the country and came out of it unscathed, you can’t discount that. You can’t discredit that.”
With the Longhorns sitting atop the polls as the presumed No. 1 overall seed, boasting SEC Coach of the Year Vic Schaefer and SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker, it seemed Texas was ready to solidify its dominance.
South Carolina had other plans.
In a 64-45 beatdown, the Gamecocks dismantled Texas in the SEC Championship Game, securing their first-ever win over a No. 1 ranked team.
The game was over early—and one moment in the second quarter summed it up perfectly.
Texas’ Kyla Oldacre, the 6’6” force who had dominated South Carolina earlier this season, got the ball in the post against Sania Feagin. Oldacre lowered her shoulder and slammed into Feagin, expecting an easy bucket. Instead, Feagin stood her ground, forced a miss, and changed the game’s momentum.
MiLaysia Fulwiley grabbed the rebound and raced past the entire Texas defense, drawing a foul as she finished at the rim. As the ball dropped through the net, Staley turned to the bench, fists clenched, with a look that said it all: Ballgame.
Bree Hall summed up the team’s motivation:
“People had a lot of things to say after we lost to Texas the last time. It was big motivation for us.”
With the win, Staley improved to 7-0 against Schaefer in the postseason, including five SEC Tournament Finals wins, an Elite Eight victory, and the 2017 National Championship Game.
Despite not reclaiming the No. 1 ranking, South Carolina jumped to No. 2 in the AP Poll, secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and are now the betting favorites to win it all.
So much for the dynasty being over.
