South Carolina Gamecocks vs Kentucky Wildcats
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | 16 | 11 | 18 | 19 | 64 |
| 22 | 22 | 24 | 19 | 87 |
No. 3 South Carolina opens SEC Tournament title defense with 87-64 rout of No. 17 Kentucky
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- — Joyce Edwards scored 21 points, Madina Okot added 12 points and 13 rebounds and No. 3 South Carolina routed 17th-ranked Kentucky 87-64 in the first of four Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinal games Friday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Tessa Johnson added 15 points and Ta'Niya Latson 12 for the top-seeded Gamecocks, who raced to a 17-point halftime lead and never let up.
South Carolina (30-2) looked laser focused as it began its quest for a fourth straight SEC Tournament title and 10th in the past 12 seasons under coach Dawn Staley, shooting 53% from the field, forcing 19 turnovers and outscoring Kentucky 46-24 in the paint.
Amelia Hassett had 15 points and Clara Strack scored 13 to lead Kentucky (23-10).
The Gamecocks will play Saturday against the winner of the game between No. 6 LSU and No. 7 Oklahoma.
Kentucky, the ninth seed, was playing its third game in three days following a 94-64 win over Arkansas and a 76-61 victory over Georgia with Strack combining for 53 points and 21 rebounds.
Whether or not fatigue played a factor, the Wildcats simply looked a step behind the fresh Gamecocks all game.
South Carolina raced out to a 44-27 lead at the half, using a big height advantage to dominate the paint 20-12 and a stifling defense to force 10 turnovers. Tessa Johnson provided the early spark with 12 points in the first half and Okot had a double-double before the break.
South Carolina kept its foot on the gas in the second half, using a 13-6 run to build a 24-point lead and was never threatened again.
The big lead allowed Staley to rest her starters for the majority of the second half to keep them fresh for Saturday.
Kentucky: The Wildcats will await their NCAA Tournament fate, where they hope they've done enough to earn a top 16 spot and the opportunity to host the first two rounds.
South Carolina: Will play on Saturday in the semifinals.
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Game Information
Greenville, SC
Referee:Gina Cross
Referee:Fatou Cissoko-Stephens
Referee:Katie Lukanich
2025-26 Standings
| Southeastern Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 15-1 | - | 30-2 |
| Texas | 13-3 | 2 | 28-3 |
| Vanderbilt | 13-3 | 2 | 27-3 |
| LSU | 12-4 | 3 | 27-4 |
| Oklahoma | 11-5 | 4 | 24-7 |
| Georgia | 8-8 | 7 | 22-9 |
| Kentucky | 8-8 | 7 | 23-10 |
| Ole Miss | 8-8 | 7 | 22-10 |
| Tennessee | 8-8 | 7 | 16-13 |
| Alabama | 7-9 | 8 | 23-9 |
| Texas A&M | 7-9 | 8 | 14-12 |
| Mississippi State | 5-11 | 10 | 18-13 |
| Florida | 5-11 | 10 | 18-15 |
| Missouri | 4-12 | 11 | 16-16 |
| Auburn | 3-13 | 12 | 15-17 |
| Arkansas | 1-15 | 14 | 12-20 |
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