SEC 4-peat: Gamecocks snap Miss. State’s streak at 32
No. 8 South Carolina 62, No. 2 Mississippi State 51
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A’ja Wilson screamed, waved four fingers in the air and danced in front of the South Carolina pep band.
Doing something nobody has ever done before deserves a mighty celebration.
Wilson scored 16 points as eighth-ranked South Carolina become the first Southeastern Conference women’s program to win four straight tournament championships Sunday, snapping the nation’s longest winning streak at 32 with a 62-51 upset of No. 2 Mississippi State.
And Wilson was on the court for each tournament victory in an unprecedented run in the SEC. Tennessee with its 17 tourney titles won three in a row twice, the last between 2010 and 2012, but the Lady Vols never made the final with a chance at a four-peat.
“It’s a blessing and an honor,” said Wilson with a net around her neck. “The SEC is a great conference and to make history like that, to be a team that’s gone four times in a row to the championship and won it, it’s a great feeling. I really can’t even put into words the feeling I know I have ... So this has been a great tournament.”
The Gamecocks beat Mississippi State yet again with a title on the line. South Carolina beat the Bulldogs last April for the program’s first national championship, and now the Gamecocks (26-6) have their third straight SEC tournament title at Mississippi State’s expense.
Mississippi State (32-1) had not lost since that national title game, coming into the SEC tournament final with the Bulldogs’ first regular season championship and hoping a third try at the tournament title would be the charm.