South Carolina Claims SEC Tournament Title Amidst Controversy
ICARO Media Group
The No. 1 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks emerged victorious in a hard-fought battle against the No. 8 LSU Tigers to claim the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament title. However, the celebration was marred by a fourth-quarter altercation that resulted in the ejection of key players.
MiLaysia Fulwiley had a standout performance, scoring a career-high 24 points, including four 3-pointers, leading South Carolina to a 79-72 victory. Fulwiley's impressive display earned her the title of the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
In the final minutes of the game, tensions ran high when an on-court scuffle erupted. With South Carolina leading 73-66, Fulwiley stole the ball from Flau'jae Johnson, who promptly fouled her. Johnson retaliated by bumping into Ashlyn Watkins of South Carolina, prompting Kamilla Cardoso, the Gamecocks' leading scorer and rebounder, to rush in and push Johnson to the ground. Chaos ensued as players from both teams rushed toward the altercation.
Cardoso, along with three of her teammates, was ejected from the game, while two LSU players who came off the bench were also sent off. Despite the unfortunate incident, South Carolina sealed the victory, securing their eighth SEC Tournament crown in the past 10 seasons and extending their winning streak against defending national champions LSU to 16 games.
In another thrilling conference tournament final, the Iowa Hawkeyes pulled off a remarkable comeback to clinch their third consecutive Big Ten Tournament title. After trailing by 13 points late in the first half, Iowa turned the game around in overtime thanks to the stellar performance of Caitlin Clark. Despite a cold start, Clark scored an incredible 30 of her 34 points in the second half and overtime, leading her team to an 89-87 victory over Nebraska.
Alexis Markowski stood out for Nebraska with 23 points and 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to secure the win. Iowa's Hannah Stuelke also displayed an impressive performance, contributing 25 points and nine rebounds to the team's triumph.
In the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament championship game, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish emerged as the victors, defeating North Carolina State. Star freshman Hannah Hidalgo played a crucial role in Notre Dame's victory, scoring 22 points, including key baskets down the stretch. With this win, the Fighting Irish claimed their first conference tournament title in five years.
Paige Bueckers led the way for the UConn Huskies in the Big East Tournament semifinals, delivering a dominant performance with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Despite being short-handed due to a facial injury suffered by star center Aaliyah Edwards, UConn secured a comfortable victory over Marquette. Liza Karlen led Marquette's efforts with 12 points and nine rebounds, but their struggling offense ultimately fell short.
These conference tournaments showcased exceptional talent, fierce competition, and unfortunately, a few controversial moments. Yet, the determination and skill displayed by the victorious teams overshadowed the disruptions, solidifying their status as champions in their respective conferences.