Texas Claims First SEC Tournament Title

This victory marked a significant moment for the Longhorns, who joined the Southeastern Conference in 2024. The win was not only their first SEC Tournament title but also a measure of revenge after losing to the Gamecocks in the championship game the previous year. The two powerhouse programs had split their two regular-season meetings, with this game serving as the decisive contest of their season series. Texas set the tone for their dominant performance from the very beginning, jumping out to a 14-0 lead before South Carolina managed to score. The Longhorns' offense was firing on all cylinders, making their first seven shots of the game. By the end of the first quarter, Texas had a commanding 27-12 lead, with forward Justice Carlton outscoring the entire South Carolina team herself with 13 points in the period. Madison Booker was named the tournament's MVP for her outstanding performance, scoring a game-high 18 points in the final. Throughout the three-game tournament, Booker averaged 20 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She was joined on the All-Tournament team by teammates Rori Harmon and Justice Carlton. The Longhorns' win ended South Carolina's impressive run of three consecutive SEC Tournament championships. The Gamecocks had appeared in a league-record seven straight tournament finals and had won nine of the previous ten. The loss also snapped a 12-game winning streak for South Carolina. The championship game was played in front of a record-breaking crowd of 13,567 in Greenville, South Carolina, largely filled with Gamecock supporters. The total attendance for the tournament also set a new record at 74,038. With this victory, Texas improved their overall record to 31-3 and secured their 14th win of the season against a ranked opponent, the most of any team in the country. The Longhorns now await their seeding for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.