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Vanderbilt Commodores

South Carolina Ends Vanderbilt's SEC Tournament Run

The Commodores now wait to find out where they'll be headed in the NCAA Women's Tournament on Selection Sunday.
Taylor Hodges|
South Carolina Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (12) shoots over Vanderbilt Commodores forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) during the second half at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
South Carolina Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (12) shoots over Vanderbilt Commodores forward Aiyana Mitchell (14) during the second half at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt made things interesting late in its quarterfinal round and nearly pulled off a monumental upset against South Carolina. However, it wasn’t to be for the Commodores.

No. 1-seed South Carolina saw a double-digit lead disappear in the fourth quarter after SEC Freshman of the Year Mikayla Blakes made her second three-pointer with 4:22 left to play and made the score 68-63. Unfortunately for Vanderbilt, it would the last points scored in the game.

“I thought that we fought hard, and we looked much more like ourselves in the second half of the game,” Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph said. “We settled in. Our shot selections were better, our defense was better. That’s the best of who we are. When we are that team, we can compete with anyone in the country. I fully believe that. Then we made mistakes down the stretch. We didn’t score. It was three or four minutes left in the game.”

The Gamecocks ended the game on a 16-0 run to secure an 84-63 victory and advance to the semifinal round of the 2025 SEC Women’s SEC Basketball Tournament against No. 5-seed Oklahoma (who beat No. 4-seed Kentucky 69-65).

Vanderbilt, meanwhile, will await to learn where it’s headed for the NCAA Women’s Tournament on Sunday after what has already been an incredible season.

The Commodores head into the NCAA Tournament with a 22-10 record, a top 10 national scoring offense, one of the nation’s best freshmen and beat their biggest rival twice in the same season for the first-time ever.

The Commodores should expect to receive an invitation to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday.

The 68-team bracket for the women’s tournament will be announced at 7 p.m., March 16.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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