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On Wednesday night, the Big 12 delivered the women’s college basketball drama. Thursday, it was the SEC’s turn.
The second week of SEC action arrived with both expected and unexpected results that are certain to keep things interesting. Here are the four big takeaways from Thursday night’s results.
Texas, South Carolina take care of business
The SEC’s top-five stalwarts, No. 2 Texas and No. 3 South Carolina, showed why they occupy such a lofty status, securing big wins with ease.
The Longhorns lapped Auburn, 97-36, behind senior center Kyla Oldacre’s 23-point and 11-rebound double-double and a lockdown defense that almost prevented the Tigers from even making a first-quarter field goal.
The Gamecocks put away Arkansas, 93-58, led by the tandem of sophomore forward Joyce Edwards, who scored 22 points, and senior center Madina Okot, who notched a 15-point and 10-rebound double-double, along with four blocks.
Oklahoma, Kentucky falter under pressure
In contrast, No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 6 Kentucky failed to confirm their elevated standing.
Boosted in the rankings after last week’s upsets, both the Sooners and Wildcats succumbed to upsets. (The results, certainly, reduce the intrigue of Sunday’s matchup between the two teams.)
No. 18 Ole Miss succeeded in dragging Oklahoma into the mud, slowing down the Sooners’ fast-paced offense and holding them to a season-low 69 points as they earned the 74-69 win.
While the Rebels led by as many as 12 points, the Sooners managed a fourth-quarter charge, when a 3-pointer from freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez followed by a layup from senior guard Payton Verhulst gave Oklahoma a two-point edge. Three-straight baskets from sophomore guard Sira Thienou helped Ole Miss stall Oklahoma’s momentum and hang on for the program’s 13th ever win over a top-five opponent.
Senior forward Cotie McMahon had her most consequential game in an Ole Miss uniform, leading the Rebels with 22 points. Thienou finished with 20 points. Chavez led Oklahoma with 26 points, including six 3-pointers, but she also committed seven turnovers.
Defense also drove Alabama past Kentucky in an even lower-scoring affair. The Tide prevailed 64-51, almost silencing the dynamic Wildcat duo of senior guard Tonie Morgan and junior forward Clara Strack. Morgan shot 4-for-13 from the field, while Strack was held to 1-for-13; the pair ended the game with a combined 18 points. Kentucky’s offensive woes were compounded by turnovers, as Alabama disrupted the Wildcats’ usual ball security by forcing 20 turnovers.
That attention-to-detail defense resulted in Alabama claiming their highest-ranked win since 1997. Senior guard Jessica Timmons led the Crimson Tide with 24 points.
No. 7 Vanderbilt, the SEC’s undefeated upstart, successfully persevered through the pressure of their perfection, using a big fourth quarter to pull away from Missouri, 99-68.
Sophomore guard Mikayla Blakes scored 12 of her 20 points in the final frame. Four other Commodores turned in double-figure scoring performances. Freshman point guard Aubrey Galvan scored 19 points, while all of senior forward Sacha Washington, senior wing Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda and senior wing Justine Pissott added 15 points. Washington also grabbed 16 rebounds for the double-double.
LSU (finally) gets on track
Highly-scrutinized No. 12 LSU finally got their first SEC win of the season, defeating Georgia 80-59 due to a fourth-quarter scoring flourish from senior guard, and Georgia native, Flau’Jae Johnson.
Held scoreless in the Tigers’ loss to Vandy, Johnson served a reminder, scoring 15 of her game-high 25 points in the final 10 minutes to guarantee the LSU victory. Back in a reserve role, junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley contributed 18 points.
LSU also improved upon some of the weaknesses that characterized their recent losses.
The Tigers outrebounded the Bulldogs 43-35; LSU also scored 48 points in the paint to Georgia’s 22. And while 15 turnovers is likely still too many for head coach Kim Mulkey, that number is preferable to the 22 giveaways LSU committed at Vanderbilt.
