NCAAW: South Carolina’s 57-game SEC regular-season winning streak ends

While the Big Orange and the Burnt Orange scored big upsets, those victories were not the only noteworthy developments from the past week in women’s college basketball:

Super Sunday SEC shake up

South Carolina did not exit Austin with another win on Sunday afternoon. Instead, they saw their 57-game SEC regular-season winning streak snapped, as Texas avenged their previous loss in Columbia with a 66-62 victory.

It was a wire-to-wire win for the Longhorns, earned via a methodical offense and locked-in defense. Texas did their damage inside the arc, scoring 40 points in the paint compared to South Carolina’s 26. That’s an impressive feat against a Dawn Staley coached team, as her squads, characteristically, own the interior. The Longhorns likewise won the rebounding battle.

Forwards Taylor Jones and Kyla Oldacre deserve credit for Texas’ effectiveness, as they combined for 24 points and 12 rebounds. Oldacre was particularly forceful in the fourth, scoring eight of her 13 points in the period to help hold off South Carolina. While Madison Booker was much better than she was in the previous matchup, she still didn’t deliver a masterclass, going just 7-for-22 from the field. However, she enhanced the Longhorns on the glass, grabbing a team-high 11 boards as she finished with a 20-point and 11-rebound double-double.

Neither team was great from the line, as Texas converted just 14-of-21 free throws, while South Carolina was 15-for-23. As they ended up on the losing side, the Gamecocks’ eight misses sting more. Overall, the team was less efficient than usual, shooting just 36.8 percent from the field. Lacking their customary edge of the glass to make up for their wayward shots, South Carolina was unable to access the extra oomph needed to pull out a road win in their first visit to Moody Center. MiLaysia Fulwiley was the only Gamecock to score in double figures, netting 13 points.

South Carolina’s loss also opens up the race for the SEC regular-season championship. South Carolina, Texas and LSU all sit at 10-1, adding extra consequence to each subsequent conference game. That’s especially true of next Sunday’s contest between the Longhorns and Tigers in Austin. The winner of that one will be in position to pounce if South Carolina again falters. But first, Texas meets Kentucky on Thursday. And keep an eye on the ‘Cats, with an 8-1 conference mark. The game against the Longhorns will be the Wildcats’ first against any of the conference’s top three teams. Yet, head coach Kenny Brooks’ team, which most recently won at Oklahoma on Wednesday, cannot be counted out.

In regard to aforementioned LSU, they outlasted Tennessee at home, 82-77, in a tightly-contested game, with Kailyn Gilbert, once again, serving as a killer for the Tigers. Although no game-winner was needed, she poured in a game-high 23 points from off the bench, with 21 of them coming in the second half. The Tigers’ star triumvirate of Flau’jae Johnson, Annesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams also did their jobs, with Johnson scoring 12 points, Morrow posting a 14-point and 14-rebound double and Williams contributing 16 points.

Tennessee failed to approach their normal number of 3-pointers, taking only 18 and making just six. They also got little production from their bench. The foursome of Talaysia Cooper, Zee Spearman, Jewell Spear and Ruby Whitehorn were left to do all the heavy lifting for the Lady Vols, scoring all but six of their team’s points. And, yet Tennessee was still right there, a few bounces away from another upset win.

Super scorers and more

Peruse some of the best performances from the past week of women’s college hoops:

On Monday, senior guard Aziaha James dropped a career-high 36 points as NC State downed Duke, 89-83. James was in a scoring zone, going 15-for-19 from the field.

Grad guard Diamond Johnson did her thing on Monday, scoring 24 points, collecting seven boards, notching five steals and dishing three assists in Norfolk State’s 88-52 victory over NC Central.

Middle Tennessee junior guard Ta’Mia Scott worked her way to a 30-point and 14-rebound double-double, playing all 40 minutes in the win over Jacksonville State, 63-46, on Thursday.

Grad guard Sarah Te-Biasu helped Maryland begin to escape some their injury-induced turbulence, netting 26 points, including a 5-for-7 effort from behind the arc, as the Terrapins won at Oregon, 79-61, on Thursday. The victory also gave head coach Brenda Frese her 600th win at Maryland.

On Saturday, Oklahoma State ran way from Kansas State, propelled by senior guard Anna Gret Asi’s eight 3-pointers. She went 8-for-12 on her triples to earn 24 points, while also offering up six assists in the 85-55 win.

Duke demolished Miami on Sunday, 90-49. Freshman forward Toby Fournier scored 24 points in 24 minutes off the bench, while also delivering four “stocks” for the Blue Devils.

NC State dominated Florida State on Sunday, invading Tallahassee and taking a 97-74 win. Sophomore guard Zoe Brooks stuffed the box score for the Pack, posting 21 points, seven boards and seven assists.

Junior guard Londynn Jones made sure UCLA didn’t slip up on Sunday afternoon, going 5-for-7 from 3 and scoring 21 points as the Bruins won at Oregon, 62-52, and advanced to 23-0.

Kaylene Smikle continued her sensational scoring season for Maryland on Sunday, dropping 36 points, all while collecting eight boards and a pair of steals, in the 81-73 win at Washington.

Paige’s going, Betts is staying

While neither announcement is particularly surprising, Paige Bueckers confirmed that she intends to go pro after the completion of her redshirt senior season at UConn, while Lauren Betts, who would have been draft eligible after her junior season, will be returning to UCLA for her senior season.

If one wishes to be technical—and continue to indulge in speculation that Bueckers could skip the 2025 WNBA Draft in order to join the league after the expected implementation of a new CBA—the question, nor Bueckers’ answer, specifically mentioned going to the WNBA, leaving opening the possibility that Bueckers first could pursue another professional venture, such as Unrivaled.

That’s swell, Nell!

As she leads Georgia Tech to their best 24-game start in program history, head coach Nell Fortner, who is in her sixth season in Atlanta, has earned a three-year contract extension.

A look ahead

Thursday’s LA-based battle between UCLA and USC highlights the week’s action:

Monday, Feb. 10

Kentucky vs. Ole Miss (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Thursday, Feb. 14

Texas vs. Kentucky (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

UCLA vs. USC (10 p.m. ET, Peacock)

Sunday, Feb. 16

Ole Miss vs. Tennessee (12 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

UConn vs. South Carolina (1 p.m. ET, ABC/Disney+)

NC State vs. North Carolina (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)

LSU vs. Texas (3 p.m. ET, ABC)

Michigan State vs. UCLA (9 p.m. ET, BTN)