Perfect, times two.
Once again, South Carolina women’s basketball heads to the postseason with an unblemished 29-0 record after a regular-season closing win on senior day. Last year it was Georgia in the finale, and this time Tennessee did not have enough answers for the No. 1 team in the nation as South Carolina pulled away for a 76-68 victory.
With all the regular season stats in the books now, the Gamecocks close the season 29-0, 16-0 in SEC play, and will take a 39-game SEC regular season winning streak into next season an have now won 57 straight at Colonial Life Arena with up to two more to go in the NCAA Tournament.
This particular senior day had a slightly different tenor to last season, an emotional rollercoaster as the most successful recruiting class in program history said their goodbyes to Columbia. This group only had three seniors — all three of whom transferred into the program and have another year of eligibility left — but still players who left an unmistakable mark on the program.
As with any senior day, there were hugs, tears and cheers as parents quite literally from all over the world descended upon Columbia for the occasion. And then the small matter of a basketball game, and one against a team which pushed South Carolina to the limit just 17 days ago.
Tennessee’s (17-11, 10-6 SEC) Rickea Jackson flexed her muscle once again, as the future WNBA lottery pick spent her afternoon battering into South Carolina’s bigs and forcing serious foul trouble. By the end of the first half Kamilla Cardoso, Sania Feagin, Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts all had two fouls and Jackson was the only thing keeping her team in striking distance.
By the end of her sensational performance she had 29 points and eight rebounds, a force of nature inside which South Carolina simply had no answers for. Some tremendous offensive work from Cardoso on her senior day and Bree Hall kept the home side in front through the first half as the duo combined for 25 points in the first 20 minutes, but the well dried up as both had a scoreless third quarter.
MiLaysia Fulwiley and Te-Hina Paopao — also celebrating a senior day — had to take over, scoring 14 in the third and building the lead as high as 15 at 59-44 with under 11 minutes remaining. At that point you would be well forgiven for thinking the contest was heading towards blowout territory, but not on Jackson’s watch.
She scored seven early in the fourth quarter as the Gamecocks allowed just their second double-digit scoring run of the entire season, losing all but three points off the lead at one stage.
But it was too much, too late. Watkins turned in six clutch fourth quarter points, Tennessee ran out of gas after another spirited swing at the nation's top squad, and ran out sand in the hour glass. Five Gameccoks scored at least 13 points, led by Cardoso' 18.
South Carolina will open the SEC Tournament Friday at noon in Greenville, with the opponent still to be determined.
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