Texas Women Win First SEC Tournament Title Over South Carolina/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ No. 4 Texas Longhorns women’s basketball defeated No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball 78-61 to win their first SEC Tournament title. Star guard Madison Booker led Texas with 18 points and was named tournament MVP. The victory ended South Carolina’s run of three straight SEC Tournament championships.
The No. 4 Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team delivered a dominant performance Sunday, defeating the No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball 78-61 to claim its first Southeastern Conference Tournament championship.
The victory came in front of a largely pro–South Carolina crowd at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, a venue where the Gamecocks have historically thrived.
After the final buzzer, Texas head coach Vic Schaefer celebrated with his players as confetti fell from the rafters, marking a milestone achievement for the Longhorns program.
Tournament MVP Madison Booker led the Longhorns with 18 points, delivering a strong second-half performance to help secure the championship.
Booker finished 8-for-15 from the fieldadding four rebounds and two assists. She scored 14 of her points in the second half, maintaining Texas’ offensive momentum.
Teammates Justice Carlton and Jordan Lee also played key roles in the victory. Carlton scored 15 points while Lee contributed 12 points, including critical baskets late in the game.
The Longhorns improved to 31-3 on the season and extended their winning streak to eight games.
Texas seized control of the game almost immediately.
The Longhorns made their first seven shots and capitalized on several early South Carolina turnovers to build a 14-0 lead.
South Carolina didn’t score until Tessa Johnson connected on a 3-pointer to stop the early run.
Texas continued to dominate throughout the first quarter. Carlton scored 13 points in the opening periodhelping the Longhorns build a commanding 27-12 lead while shooting an impressive 68% from the field.
Texas carried its early momentum into halftime, holding a 17-point lead at the break — the largest halftime deficit the Gamecocks had faced in the SEC Tournament during Staley’s tenure.
South Carolina attempted to rally late in the game, cutting the deficit to 11 points with just over five minutes remaining.
However, Texas quickly answered.
Lee drilled a three-pointer during a crucial stretch and later added a driving layup to extend the lead back to 16 points with two minutes left.
Booker then sealed the victory with a midrange jumper, ending any hopes of a comeback.
The loss ended South Carolina’s streak of three consecutive SEC Tournament championships and snapped the team’s 12-game winning streak.
The Gamecocks had been especially dominant in Greenville, winning six of the last seven SEC tournaments played at the arena.
Under Staley, South Carolina had posted a 20-1 record in SEC Tournament games at the Greenville venue prior to Sunday’s defeat.
Despite the disappointing result, Staley suggested the loss could serve as motivation heading into the national tournament.
The last time the Gamecocks lost the SEC championship game, in 2022, they went on to win the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.
One issue South Carolina will likely address before the national tournament is free-throw shooting.
The Gamecocks converted just 12 of 23 attempts from the foul line, missing key opportunities to close the scoring gap.
Turnovers also proved costly, especially early in the game when Texas built its decisive lead.
Texas joined the SEC only recently, entering the conference in 2024but Sunday’s victory demonstrated that the Longhorns are already a major force in the league.
For Booker and her teammates, the championship was proof that Texas belongs among the SEC’s elite programs.
Despite the result, both Texas and South Carolina remain among the top teams in the nation.
Each program is widely expected to receive No. 1 seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournamentsetting the stage for another potential showdown in March Madness.
If both teams advance deep into the bracket, the SEC rivals could meet again with even higher stakes — a national championship on the line.
