South Carolina reclaims SEC tournament championship. Last year’s loss now ‘far behind’
South Carolina wasn’t sure if it would see Tennessee or LSU in the SEC tournament championship game after the Gamecocks’ semifinal win Saturday.
Regardless of the opponent, though, USC wanted a win to eliminate the sting from the last-second championship loss to Kentucky in 2022.
“Everyone knows we didn’t get the job done last year,” senior guard Zia Cooke said Saturday. “So whoever steps in front (of us), we’re ready to go to war with.”
Cooke’s message stayed consistent with South Carolina’s on-court execution in a 74-58 SEC tournament-clinching win Sunday against Tennessee.
South Carolina scouted the Lady Volunteers during their game against LSU, witnessing UT rally from a 17-point deficit to knock off the Tigers. Upon watching that game and considering its other recent battle with UT, the Gamecocks were more on guard for what was to come.
“I think the biggest thing for us was the physicality part,” senior guard Brea Beal said. “We can definitely be a lot more physical than we were being, especially when you’re playing bigs from Tennessee and LSU. You’ve got to be physical on the boards, physical when you’re driving.”
South Carolina got out to an efficient start from the field Sunday, a much different performance than the teams’ meeting in Knoxville. The Gamecocks shot 15 of 26 from the floor in the first half.
Cooke dropped 24 points to go along with three steals, knocking down jumpshots and scoring on fast breaks.
Aliyah Boston got going early with 10 first-quarter points, making her first five shots of the game. She ended with 18 points and seven rebounds, winning the MVP award of the SEC tournament for her three-game showing.
“I just wanted to dominate who was guarding me at my position,” Boston said after Sunday’s win. “So that’s how I started off the game.”
South Carolina led by 15 points after a 3-pointer from Bree Hall in the third quarter. But that didn’t give the Gamecocks comfort.
USC led by 14 points in the fourth quarter against Kentucky in last year’s championship game. The Wildcats stormed back, went on a 21-5 run and won on a game-winning 3-pointer.
So with the big lead on Sunday, the team was focused on finishing.
“We had to make sure that we completed the job because we know what it felt like to be up a lot and then lose,” senior forward Laeticia Amihere said. “We had to make sure that we stayed composed and we didn’t take our foot off the gas.”
South Carolina’s 2019 recruiting class has won the SEC tournament three times in its four seasons at USC.
Last year’s loss to Kentucky was followed by USC’s program-best 38-game (and counting) winning streak. Each player was asked question after question about the improbable defeat they suffered to the Wildcats and if it was a motivating factor for the national championship run.
The Gamecocks defeated Kentucky twice this season and swept their way through the SEC regular season and tournament.
As the yellow and blue confetti fell down throughout Bon Secours Wellness Arena after USC’s championship win, last year’s loss to Kentucky — even if briefly — became a distant memory.
“We’ve become so much of a better team since last year, so it’s so far behind for me,” Cooke said. “But I’m definitely happy that we were able to get it done this year.”
This story was originally published March 5, 2023 at 8:04 PM.
