A first look at Texas ahead of SEC Tournament championship clash against South Carolina

A coin flipped by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey dictated whether South Carolina or Texas would have the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament. The winner of the tournament, though, will be determined through 40 minutes of play on the court at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

The Gamecocks and Longhorns are very familiar with each other by now. But of their three matchups this season, Sunday’s game has by the far the largest stakes.

Before the SEC Tournament Championship tips off at 3 p.m. on ESPN, here’s what Texas brings to the table.

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How they got here

The Longhorns finished the regular season with a 29-2 overall record, including a 15-1 mark in conference play. Both Texas and South Carolina headed into the postseason with the same record against in-conference opponents, but the Longhorns lost the tiebreaker on the aforementioned coin flip. Because of this, Texas entered the SEC Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

The Longhorns faced No. 7 seed Ole Miss on Friday to kick off their tournament run. Even with a late charge by the Rebels, Texas won the quarterfinal matchup by a 70-63 score. Madison Booker, despite shooting just 6-16 from the floor, led the team in both points (19) and rebounds (seven). The Longhorns’ defense held firm in the contest, limiting Ole Miss to 41.2% shooting and forcing 17 turnovers.

Texas then met No. 3 seed LSU in the semifinal round on Saturday, where it won 56-49. Booker, again, was the star of the show, scoring 25 points – none of which came in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns did encounter some shooting struggles over the course of the game, though – the Tigers had a higher field goal percentage (33.9%) than they did (31.6%). 

Last time out

South Carolina and Texas have faced off twice since the latter joined the SEC ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. They have split the season series, with victories coming at each team’s respective home stadiums.

The Longhorns’ and Gamecocks’ most recent matchup, which took place the same day as the Super Bowl, ended 66-62 in favor of Texas. Booker recorded the fifth double-double of the season that day, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. On the other side of the court, MiLaysia Fulwiley served as South Carolina’s leading contributor. Her 13 points made her the only Gamecock player to score in double figures.

The two teams’ Jan. 12 game at Colonial Life Arena was a different story, as South Carolina claimed a comfortable 67-50 win. Keeping Booker in check was a key factor that led to the win – she only made three of the 19 field goals she attempted. The Longhorns, as a whole, did not fare much better, with a 27.8% shooting percentage for the night. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, shot 51.0% from the floor, with Chloe Kitts and Te-Hina Paopao leading the way with 11 points apiece.

When taking these two games into account, the South Carolina-Texas all-time series is a 3-3 deadlock.

Where they sit in the rankings

The Longhorns are ranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. Texas is currently No. 1 in the AP poll, the same spot it occupied last week, after receiving 768 votes. The USA Today Coaches poll also pegged the Longhorns as the No. 1 team in the country with 771 votes.

According to the NCAA Women’s Basketball NET rankings, Texas is ranked No. 3. Only UConn (at No. 1) and South Carolina (at No. 2) rank higher than the Longhorns in this metric. Texas is 13-2 against Quad 1 teams, 4-0 against both Quad 2 and Quad 3 teams and 9-0 against Quad 4 teams.

Players to watch

Madison Booker (Sophomore, forward) – Booker has built on the strong foundation she laid during her freshman year to become not only one of the best players in the SEC, but also the entire country. She is the main driver of the Longhorns’ offense, averaging 16.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. After becoming the first freshman in the history of the Big 12 Conference to win a Player of the Year award last season, she followed suit by being named the SEC Player of the Year in 2024-25.

Kyla Oldacre (Junior, center) – This year marks Oldacre’s first with Texas after spending the first two years of her career at Miami. The veteran center has provided Texas with a physical presence, despite starting in just two games this season. She ranks third on the team in both scoring (9.5 points per game) and rebounding (5.9 boards per game).

Rori Harmon (Senior guard) – Harmon’s 2023-24 season ended before it started really ramping up, as she suffered a severe knee injury just 12 games into the campaign. She has since made a full recovery and become one of the Longhorns’ most dangerous threats on both sides of the basketball. Harmon has started in all 33 of the team’s games this season, averaging 9.3 points and a team-high 6.0 assists per game. Her efforts on defense have also led her to being named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.

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