The South Carolina women's basketball team, under the leadership of coach Dawn Staley, clinched another SEC title, also marking the milestone with Staley's 600th career victory. The top-ranked Gamecocks' won over Alabama with a 72-44 scoreline on Thursday, not only underscoring their dominance in the SEC but also highlighting their unbeaten run this season, standing at 26-0 overall and 13-0 in the SEC.
This victory was particularly notable given the team's substantial roster changes from the previous season, losing seven players after making a third straight Final Four appearance. Ashlyn Watkins, who contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds in the win against Alabama, reflected on the team's journey and the unexpected rise for South Carolina women's basketball despite the roster turnover.
“We lost seven people, that's a lot of people to lose especially off a good season” and a third straight Final Four, Watkins said, per ESPN. “We didn't expect to be this good, but once we saw that we were this good, we never looked back.”
Watkins added 17 points and 10 rebounds for South Carolina.
Cardosa absent from South Carolina's win against Alabama
Kamilla Cardoso, the leading scorer and rebounder for South Carolina women's basketball, was absent from the game against Alabama. She was resting due to soreness following her participation in an Olympic qualifier for Brazil. In Cardoso's absence, Bree Hall stepped up in a starting role, contributing significantly to the team's performance.
“We raised our standards,” said Hall, a reserve the past two years. “We knew we could do this.”
Hall and the Gamecock's Tessa Johnson added 13 points and 12 points, respectively. The game also saw Watkins seventh double-double of the season.
Alabama struggled to find their footing against South Carolina's stifling defense, managing only 15.6% shooting in the first half. Jessica Timmons led Alabama with 20 points, while their top scorer, Sarah Ashlee Barker, was limited to just four points due to an injury.
The win was yet another testament to South Carolina's pursuit of perfection this season, with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey presenting them with the SEC trophy after their fame – their eighth in the last 11 seasons.
“We'll see if there's more trophies in the future, right?” Sankey told the Gamecocks.
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