South Carolina Dominates Texas to Claim Third Straight SEC Tournament Title
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Dawn Staley knew this year’s SEC Championship would be tougher than ever with Texas and Oklahoma joining the league. But the South Carolina Gamecocks made it look easy.
Led by Tournament MVP Chloe Kitts, who posted 15 points and nine rebounds, and a deep supporting cast, No. 5 South Carolina dismantled No. 1 Texas 64-45 on Sunday to secure its third consecutive SEC Tournament title and ninth championship in the last 11 years under Staley.
“They are young people that come down here and perform to a high standard every single time they step on the floor, and for that, I am super proud of them,” Staley said.
Total Team Effort
Alongside Kitts, Tessa Johnson added 14 points, while Sania Feagin and Joyce Edwards each contributed 11 points. The Gamecocks’ dominant performance throughout the tournament strengthened their case for a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
South Carolina (30-3) steamrolled through the tournament, winning games by 21, 18, and 19 points, including blowout victories over No. 10 Oklahoma and Texas. Their relentless defense set the tone, as they held Texas to just 16 first-half points and built a 33-16 halftime lead with a suffocating 19-2 second-quarter run.
Texas coach Vic Schaefer admitted his team had no answers: “I took two timeouts in the second quarter, and we just could not stop (their momentum).”
This marks the fifth time Staley has defeated Schaefer in an SEC title game, with the previous four coming when he coached Mississippi State.
Lockdown Defense & Balanced Attack
The Gamecocks’ defense made life miserable for Texas All-American Madison Booker, holding her to 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Meanwhile, Texas’ Taylor Jones and Rori Harmon led the Longhorns with 14 points each, but it wasn’t enough to overcome 18 turnovers and South Carolina’s relentless attack.
Harmon acknowledged the tough loss: “We have another big tournament ahead of us and we have to learn from our mistakes … but this game will haunt us as a team.”
Despite the loss, Schaefer remains confident in Texas’ NCAA Tournament standing: “One quarter, one game certainly doesn’t define our season.”
Gamecock Notables:
- South Carolina outscored its three SEC Tournament opponents 67-27 in the second quarter, showcasing their ability to seize control of games early.
- First-Ever Win Over a No. 1 Ranked Team in program history.
- Three Gamecocks earned All-Tournament honors – MiLaysia Fulwiley, Sania Feagin, and Chloe Kitts.
- Chloe Kitts was named Tournament MVP, leading the team with 16.7 PPG and 7.7 RPG while shooting an incredible 74% from the field. She scored six crucial fourth-quarter points to help secure the 19-point win.
- Tessa Johnson had a clutch performance, dropping 14 points and hitting two huge second-half three-pointers to push South Carolina’s lead to 45-25.
- Sania Feagin delivered a strong third quarter, scoring seven of her 11 points in that frame, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer.
- Joyce Edwards continued her consistency, finishing in double figures in all three tournament games and averaging 14.7 PPG.
- MiLaysia Fulwiley earned All-Tournament honors, averaging 13.0 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 steals per game.
With another SEC Championship under their belt, Staley and the Gamecocks are now laser-focused on securing the No. 1 overall seed and making a deep NCAA Tournament run.
