South Carolina, Dawn Staley head to 2026 SEC Tournament in Greenville
Hundreds of fans showed up to the Grand Bohemian Lodge on March 6 to cheer on Dawn Staley and SC women’s basketball ahead of the 2026 SEC Tournament.
For the second straight season, South Carolina and Texas will meet in the SEC Tournament Championship in Greenville, South Carolina.
Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks and Vic Schaefer’s Longhorns will matchup on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN) in the title game.
South Carolina advanced by beating LSU in the semifinals behind 22 points from Raven Johnson. Texas was powered by 31 points from Madison Booker in its semifinal victory over Ole Miss.
The Gamecocks and Longhorns split regular season meetings, with each game decided by a single possession. Texas won a non-conference clash in Las Vegas by two points, while South Carolina took a three-point victory at home in Columbia.
Staley has had Schaefer’s number in the postseason though, as she’s 8-0 all-time against him in March and April. That record includes wins for the Gamecocks over the Longhorns in the SEC title game and Final Four last year.
The Longhorns are out to an early double-digit lead over the Gamecocks at the end of the first quarter behind 13 points from Justice Carlton, who is shooting 6-of-7 from the floor.
Texas opened the game with a 14-0 run before South Carolina coach Dawn Staley called a timeout at the 6:47 mark. Ta’Niya Latson swished a 3-pointer on a Raven Johnson assist out of that break, but couldn’t piece together a meaningful run to dent the Longhorns’ lead.
The Longhorns are shooting 68% from the floor and have scored 10 points off five South Carolina turnovers.
The SEC Championship game between South Carolina and Texas has tipped off on ESPN News because Duke and Louisville are in overtime in the ACC title game in Duluth, Georgia. The clash between the Gamecocks and Longhorns will switch back to ESPN when the ACC game finishes.
Less than four minutes into the game, Texas has a 14-0 lead on 7-of-7 shooting. Justice Carlton has six points. Dawn Staley called a timeout at the 6:47 mark in the first quarter.
South Carolina Gamecocks starting lineup
Head coach: Dawn Staley
- 25 Raven Johnson | G 5-9 Senior
- 00 Ta’Niya Latson | G 5-9 Senior
- 5 Tessa Johnson | G 6-0 Junior
- 8 Joyce Edwards | F 6-3 Sophomore
- 11 Madina Okot | C 6-6 Senior
Texas starting lineup
Head coach: Vic Schaefer
- 11 Justice Carlton | F 6-1 Sophomore
- 25 Breya Cunningham | F 6-4 Junior
- 35 Madison Booker | F 6-1 Junior
- 7 Jordan Lee | G 6-0 Sophomore
- 3 Rori Harmon | G 5-6 Senior
What time is South Carolina vs. Texas?
- Date: Sunday, March 8
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville)
Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks face Vic Schaefer’s Longhorns in the championship game of the SEC Women’s Tournament at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, March 8 in Greenville, South Carolina.
South Carolina vs. Texas : TV, streaming
The game between South Carolina and Texas will air live on ESPN, with Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo on the call. Streaming options for the game include Sling TV.