March Madness is happening and it is happening for SEC WBB. No. 7 seed Kentucky and will face No. 1 seed South Carolina in the SEC Tournament championship. This matchup is one you do not want to miss. Both teams are full of talent and have battled to get to the championship. South Carolina will be in their seventh SEC championship game in eight years. While Kentucky has not been in an SEC championship game since 2014. Here is the SEC Tournament Championship Preview.
No. 1 South Carolina
South Carolina has been the team to beat this season, being the number one team for the entire season. The Gamecocks have had a 29-1 (15-1) record so far this season. They have a 17 game winning streak led by head coach Dawn Staley. They are filled with talent from starters to the bench.
The Gamecocks defeated the Razorbacks by a score of 76-54 on Friday to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the Gamecocks faced the Rebels, where they ended up winning 61-51. The Gamecocks will look for a win to get their third consecutive tournament championship title.
A significant leader in this tournament and the regular season is junior Aliyah Boston. Boston has broken records left and right, the most recent being the SEC consecutive double-double record. To win this game, the Gamecocks will have to play through Boston and other players will need to step up to win. Whether it be Henderson, Cooke, or off the bench Amihere, the Gamecocks will need everyone they can get to pull out this win.
If the Gamecocks utilize their bench, this will be a huge key for them, making Kentucky adjust to the wide variety of players the Gamecocks have. Attacking the paint will be important as the Gamecocks are taller than the Wildcats. Defensively the Gamecocks will need to rebound as they usually do and then run the floor after rebounds. They also need to limit Howard and the Wildcat’s three-point shooting. Combining these aspects will help the Gamecocks be successful in the championship.
.@GamecockWBB punched its ticket to the #SECWBB championship game for the seventh time in the past eight seasons‼️ pic.twitter.com/iLa8DZ7oqj
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 6, 2022
No. 7 Kentucky
Although this season has been a bumpy road for the Wildcats, they have made a great stretch lately. The Wildcats have been on a nine-game winning streak, starting on Feb. 13th.
Overall, the Wildcats have an 18-11 (8-8) record so far this season but do not let the record fool you. The Wildcats have only improved as a team since the beginning of the season. Kentucky are led by second-year head coach Kyra Elzy.
The Wildcats have been playing in the SEC tournament since Thursday. On Thursday, they beat No. 10 seed Mississippi State by a score of 83-67. On Friday, they upset the No. 2 seed LSU by a score of 78-63. On Saturday, they defeated the No. 3 seed Tennessee by a score of 83-74. The Wildcats are certainly hungry for this championship title.
A leader who has been a constant force for the Wildcats is senior Rhyne Howard. Howard has been a huge player for Kentucky ever since her arrival as a freshman. A limited roster surrounds her due to injury. Huge players for the Wildcats, in addition to Howard, include Hunt, Walker, and Edwards. Every player on the limited roster will have to contribute in one way or another for the Wildcats to win.
If the Wildcats can get a significant lead early on in the game, this could be huge for the outcome of the game. Offensively, the Wildcats will need to score baskets outside the paint since the Gamecocks are a tall paint-dominating team. Defensively, the Wildcats will need to limit the points in the paint by the Gamecocks and limit offensive rebounds for the Gamecocks. If the Wildcats play like they have been playing while shutting down South Carolina, there is a significant possibility they will have a trophy at the end of this.
Three days.
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 6, 2022
Three wins.@KentuckyWBB is headed to the ’ship for the first time since 2014‼️ #SECWBB pic.twitter.com/vACNrw77i1
Prediction
I believe this matchup will be a battle to the end, but only one team can win and I predict South Carolina will win. The Gamecocks have several Top 25 wins this season and they know what it takes to win an SEC WBB Tournament Championship, having won seven in the last eight years.
The Gamecocks have an advantage as a 1-seed that they had a double-bye while Kentucky only had one bye. Both teams will have to overcome fatigue in order to win. It will be a close game and either team has a great chance of winning.
Tune in at 2 pm EST on ESPN to watch the Kentucky Wildcats take on the South Carolina Gamecocks.
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