The SEC Women’s Basketball Conference Tournament is set to tip off on Wednesday morning at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. The top seeds are taken by the only two ranked teams in the conference: top-ranked undefeated South Carolina and defending national champion LSU. However, there are a handful of other NCAA Tournament teams behind them that are looking to play spoiler. Who will be the team to guarantee themselves a spot in the NCAA Tournament?
Favorite: South Carolina
Head coach Dawn Staley has done another phenomenal job coaching the Gamecocks to their second straight undefeated season. Kamilia Cardoso is the one to watch for U of SC. She leads the team average in points per game (14.1) as well as rebounds (10) and blocks (2.7 BPG).
Contender: LSU
LSU started this season as the number-one team in the country before suffering a brutal loss to Colorado. The Tigers lost a total of four games this year, with their biggest win coming against Virginia Tech. The team has multiple stars but is headlined by last year’s NCAA Division I Most Outstanding Player, Angel Reese. Reese leads the team in points per game (19.1) and rebounds (13). LSU may not be the top seed, but head coach Kim Mulkey will have her players ready to go when the Tigers tip off on Friday night.
Contender: Alabama
The Tide finished the regular season with a 23-8 record and the No. 4 seed based on a one-game difference to Ole Miss. The Tide’s best win of the season came against Louisville, who was ranked No. 20 at the time. Sarah Ashlee Barker is the player that the offense revolves around; she leads the team in points (17.2 PPG), rebounds (6.4 RPG), and steals (2 SPG). While the Tide were never ranked nationally this season, they averaged a solid 73.9 points per game, so if the Tide can get rolling, they will be hard to stop.
Dark Horse: Mississippi State
The Bulldogs started the season ranked No. 25. The highest they climbed all year was to No. 21 in November, with the biggest win of their season coming against LSU. With a win over LSU, the Bulldogs have shown they have the potential to make a run if they can get rolling. The combination of JerKaila Jordan and Jessika Carter is the two-headed beast any team in the SEC has to put down if they want to beat the Bulldogs. Jordan leads the team in points (16.2 PPG) and steals (2.2 SPG). Carter leads the team in rebounds (10.2 RPG) and blocks (1.8 BPG). Jordan controls the team on offense, and Carter quarterbacks the defense on the other end. Mississippi State has the No. 8 and will start their hopeful run to glory on Thursday afternoon. Will they be the Cinderella School of the SEC?
My Prediction: South Carolina
Spurs Up! The Gamecocks are the No. 1-ranked team in the country for a reason. Only one team has gotten close to knocking them off (LSU). The Gamecocks have a very strong resume, having beaten the likes of UConn, LSU, Notre Dame, Maryland, North Carolina, and Utah.
Staley has her players hitting their stride at a really good time, and it looks as if no one can stop them from adding to their trophy case.