Texas Longhorns forward Carlton Judge (11) is defended by South Carolina Gamecocks guard Taniyah Ratson (00) during the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, Sunday, March 8, 2026. Madison Booker scored 18 points, Judge Carlton scored 13 of her 15 points in a dominant first quarter, and No. 4 Texas fell short of a 78-61 victory over No. 3 South Carolina in the SEC Women’s Championship on Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina.
Carlton, who entered the game averaging 8.5 points, made six of seven field goal attempts, including his only 3-pointer, as the third-seeded Longhorns (31-3) took a 27-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back. She had just one more shot before fouling out after the first quarter.
Jordan Lee added 12 points for Texas, which has won its eighth straight game and recorded its 13th point in 14 games since losing 68-65 at South Carolina on Jan. 15.
Joyce Edwards scored 13 points and Maddy McDaniel had 10 to lead the top-seeded Gamecocks (31-3), who won their last 12 games but lost 66-64 to the Longhorns in the Players Era Tournament title game on Nov. 27 in Las Vegas.
Edwards made a jumper to open the scoring in the second half and pull the Gamecocks to within 15 points. They got within 15 twice more before the Longhorns increased their lead to 19.
South Carolina creeped to the final six points, 57-44, at the end of the third quarter.
Edwards scored five points to help the Gamecocks get within 11 points, but Lee’s 3-pointer gave Texas a 68-54 lead with 4:53 left.
Carlton scored six points, Booker added four and two of her teammates each hit a field goal as Texas scored the first 14 points of the game. Tessa Johnson hit a 3-pointer for South Carolina’s first points just 3 1/2 minutes into the game, and the Gamecocks got within 11 points for the second time before the Longhorns went on another spurt.
Carlton helped Texas extend its lead to 16 points with a jumper and a 3-pointer, and her layup left the Longhorns with a 27-12 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Gamecocks got within nine points twice in the second quarter before Aaliyah Crump and Lee each hit 3-pointers during a 10-0 run that gave the Longhorns a 41-22 lead for a 45-28 halftime advantage.
–Field level media
