LEXINGTON, Ky (AP) — Madina Okot had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead No. 3 South Carolina to a 60-56 victory over No. 16 Kentucky on Sunday.
The Gamecocks (29-2, 15-1 Southeastern Conference) took a 54-43 lead with 8:28 to play, but got only baskets from Okot and Tessa Johnson the rest of the game as the Wildcats (21-9, 8-8 Southeastern Conference) mounted a late rally.
Advertisement
Clara Strack had 24 points and nine rebounds, scoring eight points down the stretch, to lead the rally. The Wildcats were down by two at 58-56, but Teonni Key missed a layup and a rebound tie gave South Carolina the ball. Okot made a layup for the final basket.
Johnson had 12 points and Raven Johnson added 11 for the Gamecocks.
Strack was 11-of-19 for the game, but the rest of the Wildcats shot 13-of-44.
South Carolina led 33-27 at halftime, but a quick 10-4 Kentucky run sparked by a pair of 3-pointers from Asia Boone tied the game at 37.
Okot gave the Gamecocks an early lead with back-to-back layups and they took a 54-43 lead and held on for the win.
Advertisement
Boone was the only other Wildcat in double figures with 11 points.
To be continued
South Carolina: Friday in the SEC Tournament as the top seed.
Kentucky: TBD in SEC tournament.
__
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Register here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll And https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
