NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Aliyah Boston posted her
The Gamecocks (29-1) won their 17th straight to reach their seventh tournament championship game in eight seasons. They will play either No. 18 Tennessee or seventh-seeded Kentucky on Sunday looking for South Carolina's third straight title and seventh overall.
South Carolina improved to 7-2 in the semifinals by using its size and length to smother Ole Miss for the third time this season in showdowns between the SEC's top two scoring defenses. The Gamecocks lead the SEC allowing 51.2 points, and they held the Rebels to 30 points through three quarters.
Ole Miss (23-8) tried to rally, scoring 20 of the first 25 points in the fourth to get within 58-50 on Shakira Austin's three-point play with 1:40 left. That was the last bucket the Rebels would make as South Carolina clinched their latest berth in the title game.
Boston, the two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, also had three blocks and three steals.
This was the first time in the semifinals for Ole Miss (23-8) since 1993 who last played in the tournament championship in 1983.
Angel Baker led the Reels with 20 points. Austin finished with 16.
This was a rematch of the
Victaria Saxton got a steal and finished of a slow-motion breakaway with a layup that tied it at 4. Boston scored the next four, and South Carolina led 14-8 after the first quarter. Baker scored 10 in the second to keep Ole Miss close, though the Gamecocks led 33-22 at halftime.
South Carolina outscored the Rebels 20-8 for a 53-30 lead going into the fourth where Ole Miss made it very interesting until the final 90 seconds.
SECOND CHANCES
The Gamecocks outrebounded Ole Miss 44-28, only the second time in the last six games they didn't have an edge of 20 or more on the boards. Both came against the Rebels. The dominance inside helped South Carolina to a 19-4 edge in second-chance points.
SIZE MATTERS
Austin is Ole Miss' tallest player at 6-foot-5 and the Rebel taller than 6-2. Compare that to South Carolina with four Gamecocks 6-3 or taller led Boston with 6-7 Kamilla Cardoso coming off the bench. The Gamecocks harassed Austin into 2-of-9 shooting in the first half.
The Ole Miss center scored 27 in Ole Miss' win over No. 23 Florida in the quarterfinals. She wound up 6 of 17 in this game.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss now gets to wait to learn its seed in the NCAA Tournament.
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