Four-peat denied: Gamecocks fall to Texas in SEC title game, 74-59 South Carolina’s quest for a fourth consecutive Southeastern Conference title ended in a 74-59 loss to No. 4 Texas in the SEC tournament championship game on Sunday. The Longhorns, led by their strong offensive performance, capitalized on 14 turnovers by the Gamecocks and shot 54% from the field to secure the victory. Texas’s dominance was evident early, as the Longhorns surged to a 14-0 run in the first four minutes, fueled by five key plays that set the tone for the game. Despite a brief rally by South Carolina, which narrowed the gap to nine points in the second quarter, Texas quickly extended its lead. A 10-0 run midway through the period pushed the deficit to double digits, marking the Gamecocks’ largest halftime deficit in an SEC tournament game since 2008. The Longhorns maintained control in the third quarter, though a late 6-0 surge by South Carolina cut the lead to 13 points heading into the final period. However, Texas held firm, converting five of its last six field goals to seal the win. For South Carolina, the loss ended their bid for a fourth straight SEC title. Joyce Edwards led the Gamecocks with 13 points but also committed five turnovers, tying for the most individual turnovers on the team. Maddy McDaniel added 10 points, while Texas forward Madison Booker dominated with 18 points. Both teams are projected as No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, with Texas likely to compete in the Fort Worth region and South Carolina in the Sacramento region. The full NCAA Tournament bracket will be announced on March 15.#south_carolina #texas #madison_booker #sec_tournament_championship_game #maddy_mcDaniel
