WOMENS BASKETBALL
South Carolina 93, Oklahoma 75
ASSOCIATED PRESS
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Joyce Edwards scored 21 points, and No. 5 South Carolina advanced to the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game with a 93-75 win over 10th-ranked Oklahoma on Saturday.
MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 19 points to provide a huge boost off the bench for South Carolina (29-3), and Sania Feagin added 14.
Sahara Williams had 17 points and Payton Verhulst added 15 points and nine assists for Oklahoma (25-7), which looked fatigued playing its third game in three days.
South Carolina's smothering defense set the tone early, repeatedly forcing hurried, bad shots and five turnovers while racing to a double-digit first quarter lead. The Gamecocks stretched the lead to 45-28 at the break, closing the first half on a 14-2 run while holding Oklahoma without a field goal over the final four minutes.
South Carolina never led by fewer than 10 points in the second half.
THE TAKEAWAY
Oklahoma: Center Raegan Beers was limited to seven points and eight rebounds after scoring 42 points and grabbing 19 rebounds in her first two tournament appearances.
South Carolina: Finished 2 for 15 from beyond the arc, and didn’t make its first 3-pointer until two minutes into the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks made up for it by working the ball inside and outscoring the bigger Sooners 50-26 in the paint.
KEY MOMENT
After Oklahoma cut the lead to 10 late in the third quarter, Edwards scored five straight points in the paint including an and-one to give the Gamecocks some breathing room.
KEY STAT
South Carolina scored 22 points off 16 Oklahoma turnovers. The Gamecocks had eight turnovers.
March 8, 2025