The South Carolina Gamecocks got their star back and found a win against the Lady Vols when it mattered most, eliminating 7th-seeded and 12th-ranked Tennessee from the SEC Tournament in a surprisingly drama-free 73-62 victory on Friday in Nashville, Tenn.
Entering the contest, the Gamecocks were coming off a crushing 65-46 defeat to the Lady Vols in their regular-season finale, and also had concerns about A’ja Wilson’s health. Wilson, who had missed the game in Knoxville with vertigo, was a game-time decision and didn’t take her usual place in the starting lineup. It didn’t matter, though: The three-time SEC Player of the Year scored 24 points off the bench to go with 12 rebounds to help power South Carolina into the semifinals.