Texas dominates South Carolina 78-61 to claim first women’s SEC Tournament title
The Texas Longhorns celebrate Sunday, March 8, 2026, after the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Texas Longhorns won 78-61.
Texas made an emphatic statement in Greenville, South Carolina, delivering a masterful performance to defeat the third-ranked Gamecocks 78-61 and claim their first women’s SEC Tournament title. The Longhorns (31-3) controlled the game from the opening tip, building a shocking 14-0 lead in the first 5½ minutes that set the tone for a thoroughly dominant victory.
Madison Booker led the charge with 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting, earning tournament MVP honors after averaging 20 points on 61% shooting across three tournament wins. Justice Carlton added 15 points and Jordan Lee contributed 12 for Texas, which shot a blistering 57% from the field to avenge last year’s 19-point loss to South Carolina in the title game.
A statement victory in hostile territory
The victory was particularly impressive given the setting. South Carolina had been 20-1 under coach Dawn Staley in SEC Tournament games in Greenville, just 90 minutes from campus, and had won six of the last seven tournaments there. The Gamecocks (31-3) entered as three-time defending champions but found themselves overwhelmed from the start.
how the @SEC was won 🎥#HookEm | @LonghornNetwork pic.twitter.com/jIIF09BY97
— Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) March 8, 2026
« I couldn’t be more proud of a group of ladies, of this team, to do what they did in this environment and against this team — it is just really impressive, » said Texas coach Vic Schaefer. « They were laser-focused. I had some kids that were here on a mission. »
Texas made their first seven shots while forcing five early South Carolina turnovers. Carlton outscored the entire Gamecocks team by herself in the first quarter, finishing with 13 points as Texas built a 27-12 lead after shooting 68%. The 17-point halftime deficit marked the largest in an SEC Tournament for South Carolina under Staley.
« We belong in the SEC, » declared Booker, who scored 14 points in the second half on 6-of-11 shooting. « We’re here to play, and we’re here to win. »
your 2026 SEC Women's Basketball All-Tournament team 👏🤘
Madison Booker: 18 pts, 4 reb, 2 assists, 1 steal
Rori Harmon: 8 pts, 4 reb, 4 assists, 1 steal
Justice Carlton: 15 pts, 4 reb, 4 assists, 1 steal#HookEm pic.twitter.com/u3dgRq0K2i— Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) March 9, 2026
South Carolina managed to cut the deficit to 11 with 5:22 remaining, but Texas answered every challenge. Lee responded with a 3-pointer and later pushed the lead to 16 with a driving layup, before Booker sealed the Longhorns’ eighth straight win with a midrange jumper.
« Every time that we would try to make a run, we had just like mental lapses, like uncharacteristic turnovers, » said Staley. « Some of it was us, some of it was Texas — and they took advantage of it every single time. »
The loss snapped South Carolina’s 12-game win streak, with Joyce Edwards leading the Gamecocks with 13 points. However, Staley found a silver lining in defeat: « I told them that the last time we lost in this situation, we won the national championship. It might be the very thing this team needs. »
Comments (0)