FINAL: Kentucky WBB WINS first SEC championship in 40 years!
For the first time in 40 years, Kentucky Women’s Basketball is the Southeastern Conference Tournament Champion. Dre’Una Edwards hit the game-winning shot with under five seconds left to put the Wildcats in front 64-62, beating the No. 1 ranked South Carolina in the conference tournament title game.
Kentucky has now won 10 consecutive games as it continues a legendary string of victories at the perfect time of the season. Edwards finished with a game-high 27 points and nine rebounds while All-American Rhyne Howard added 18 points of her own. Despite trailing by 12 heading into the fourth quarter, UK mounted a 21-7 comeback in the final 10 minutes to make history.
Kentucky’s hot shooting stuck around for the title game, as Treasure Hunt opened the contest with a triple before Howard knocked in a long-two. South Carolina force-fed Aliyah Boston every other possession, and the National Player of the Year frontrunner was up to nine points through the first 10 minutes of action. The Gamecocks led by as many as six, 15-9, but the ‘Cats hung around, trailing 21-18 entering the second frame. Edwards was powering the offense for UK, scoring eight points on 4-5 shooting.
Unfortunately, for the first stretch in the tournament, Kentucky picked the worst time to go cold from the field. UK missed 11 consecutive shots at one point and scored just three points during the entire second quarter. Luckily, the Wildcat defense held South Carolina to just nine points, but the Gamecocks took a 30-21 lead at the halftime break that could have easily been 15-plus.
The offense would return in the third period for the ‘Cats, but the defense took a step back. After a slow second quarter, Howard began to put the game in her hands. South Carolina would build its lead to as many as 15 before Howard stepped up. Kentucky had a chance to cut its deficit to as little as six, but a missed 3-pointer from Hunt turned into a Gamecocks run. With just 10 minutes to go, UK trailed 55-43 despite totaling 22 points in the frame.
But the ‘Cats refused to give up, especially Edwards. With their backs on the wall, Kentucky came out of the fourth quarter and smacked South Carolina in the mouth. UK’s defense played the best it had all season long and the offense began to click. Kentucky rattled off an 18-7 run that put them down just one point with 16 seconds left on the clock. South Carolina had the ball and was fouled, but missed both free throws to keep the score at 62-61 in favor of the Gamecocks.
With just 11 seconds left, Kentucky had the ball out of a timeout. Edwards found herself at the top of the key with a wide-open 3-pointer, drilling it with under five seconds left on the clock to put UK in front 64-62 for good. South Carolina had zero timeouts and failed to get off a shot before the buzzer. Edwards finished with 12 fourth-quarter points and her team needed every single one of them.
As a result, Kentucky won the conference crown for the first time since 1982.
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