When South Carolina and Kentucky tip off Sunday afternoon in Lexington, the game’s most consequential battle will not be decided at the perimeter or in transition. It will be settled in the paint — where two of the SEC’s most dominant interior players meet in a collision that could determine the outcome of the entire game.
Madina Okot vs. Clara Strack is not just the matchup to watch. It may be the best individual interior duel of the entire regular season.
Strack: Unafraid and Unstoppable
Kentucky’s Clara Strack has been one of the SEC’s most complete big women all season. The 6-foot-5 junior is averaging career highs across the board — 16.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game — numbers that represent a significant leap from a sophomore campaign that already earned her SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors and spots on both the All-Defensive and All-SEC Second teams.
Dawn Staley did not search for diplomatic language when asked about her. “She’s tough, like she’s really tough,” Staley said. “She moves you around. She’s unafraid. She’s really good on both sides of the basketball. Tough matchup for anybody. That’s why she’s been first-team SEC.”
The word “unafraid” is the most telling of the bunch. It describes a player who does not shrink in high-stakes environments — a quality that makes her exponentially more dangerous in a game with tournament implications on the line.
Okot: Finding Another Gear at the Right Moment
South Carolina’s Madina Okot arrived at this matchup in the best form of her season. After a brief confidence slump in late January that briefly moved her to a bench role, the 6-foot-6 center has responded with six consecutive double-doubles, averaging 15.2 points and 14.3 rebounds over that stretch. For the season, she leads the SEC in rebounding at 10.9 per game while averaging 13.8 points.
Her Senior Night performance against Missouri — 26 points, 17 rebounds, a personal 12-0 run — was the exclamation point on a player who has found herself at exactly the right time.
Staley’s game plan for the matchup reflects both respect for Strack and confidence in Okot. “We got to put Madina in positions where she can be effective,” Staley said. “If Madina is guarding her, then we got to give her a little bit of help. But I think Madina is up for the challenge. I’m sure they both are. So it should be a really good battle.”
Why It Matters
Whoever wins this battle wins the game’s most critical possession battle. Strack’s shot-blocking and Okot’s rebounding dominance are program-defining qualities — and only one can come out on top Sunday afternoon.
This is the kind of matchup March is made for. It just happens to be arriving one week early.
