Raven Johnson scored 22 points, Joyce Edwards had a double-double and No. 3 South Carolina held off No. 6 LSU 83-77 in the first semifinal of the SEC women’s tournament Saturday in Greenville, S.C.
Edwards finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, Ta’Niya Latson added 19 points and Tessa Johnson scored 11 for the top-seeded Gamecocks (30-2), who won their 12th consecutive game. They will play No. 4 Texas in the championship game Sunday.
MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 24 points, Jada Richard added 17 and Mikaylah Williams had 14 for the fourth-seeded Tigers (27-4), who lost to South Carolina for the second time in three weeks after falling 79-72 on Feb. 14 in Baton Rouge, La.
LSU started the fourth quarter with a 9-4 spurt that tied the score at 63 with seven minutes remaining, but Edwards’ jumper produced the eighth and final lead change in a game that also featured nine ties.
No. 4 Texas 85, No. 24 Ole Miss 68
Madison Booker had 31 points and 11 rebounds and the Longhorns wore down the Rebels in the second semifinal of the SEC women’s tournament.
Kyla Oldacre added 19 points and eight rebounds and Jordan Lee scored 14 for the third-seeded Longhorns (30-3), who will meet top-seeded South Carolina in the championship game Sunday afternoon.
Denim DeShields and Cotie McMahon scored 20 points each, Christeen Iwuala had 12 points and eight rebounds and Latasha Lattimore scored 10 to lead the seventh-seeded Rebels (23-11).
Texas had a 42-32 halftime lead but scored just 15 points in the third quarter and Ole Miss crept within 57-55 at the end of the period. The Longhorns used a 12-4 spurt to regain control midway through the fourth quarter.
–Field Level Media
