AUSTIN (KXAN) — Like the two previous losses to South Carolina this season, one bad quarter sunk the Texas Longhorns in the Final Four.
The Gamecocks outscored the Longhorns 20-9 in the third quarter to clinch a spot in the national title game 74-57 Friday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. It’s the third time in the past four years that South Carolina has made it to the championship game. It’s also the fourth time this season the teams have played each other, twice in the Southeastern Conference regular season and in the SEC tournament championship game.
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Texas head coach Vic Schaefer reacts during the second half of a national semifinal Final Four game against South Carolina during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Texas forward Madison Booker (35) is fouled while shooting by South Carolina guard Bree Hall (23) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) drives against South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts (21) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
The Texas pep band plays before the start of a national semifinal Final Four game between Texas and South Carolina during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao (0) goes up for a shot against Texas guard Shay Holle (10) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina forward Sania Feagin (20) puts up a shot against Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina forward Maryam Dauda (30) drives to the basket against Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
Texas guard Rori Harmon (3) controls the ball against South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley comments to the referee during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game against Texas during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
Texas guard Jordan Lee (7) puts up a shot against South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
South Carolina guard Raven Johnson (25) grabs a rebound against Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) drives to the basket against Texas forward Madison Booker (35) and forward Taylor Jones (44) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson (5) puts up a shot against Texas forward Taylor Jones (44) as South Carolina forward Sania Feagin (20) blocks out for the rebound during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley reacts during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game against Texas during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (12) drives against Texas guard Shay Holle (10) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) puts up a shot against Texas forward Kyla Oldacre (00) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina forward Maryam Dauda (30) and Texas forward Kyla Oldacre (00) scramble for a loose ball during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer reacts during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game against South Carolina during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao (0) strips the ball from Texas guard Jordan Lee (7) during the first half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) -
South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards (8) looks to pass against Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda (32) during the second half of a national semifinal Final Four game during the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Madison Booker started hot for the Longhorns, making her first three shots to help Texas build a 12-4 lead, but then got into foul trouble and had to sit on the bench for extended periods in the first half. Booker played half of the first half, 10 minutes, picking up her second foul with 3:04 left in the first quarter and her third with 2:29 left in the second. She went to the bench for the rest of the first after her second foul and didn’t return until the 5:01 mark of the second. Once she picked up her third foul, she sat out for the rest of the half.
South Carolina (35-3) went on an 11-0 run in the third quarter to essentially put the game away, turning a 47-41 lead into 58-41. Texas freshman guard Jordan Lee broke the run with a 3-pointer with 0:35 left in the frame, and then hit another one with 8:32 left in the fourth, but Texas couldn’t mount a comeback. The Longhorns didn’t shoot well in the second, making 9 of 29 shots with a scoring drought of more than four minutes in the fourth quarter.
Te-Hina Paopao led the Gamecocks with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including three 3-pointers, and Joyce Edwards poured in a double-double off the bench with 13 points and 11 rebounds to go with a team-high six assists. Bree Hall scored 11 points and Tessa Johnson had nine. South Carolina outrebounded Texas 36-28 and outscored them in the paint 40-22.
Edwards, a freshman from Camden, South Carolina, struggled early in the tournament, scoring 15 points in the previous three games combined. She said she never “got too low,” during the scoring lull and knew her teammates had her back.
“You’re going to have slumps. It’s part of the growth and part of the process,” she said. “The people in my inner circle make sure I kept my mindset at an even keel.”
The Gamecocks shot 51% from the field, 29-for-57, and Texas shot 40%, 22-for-55. The Longhorns came into the game allowing opponents to shoot 38% from the field. Texas committed 14 turnovers and South Carolina had 13.
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For the Longhorns, Lee led the way with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting. She went 3-for-7 from 3-point range, accounting for all but one of Texas’ long distance buckets. Booker ended with 11 points and Rori Harmon chipped in eight points with seven rebounds and four assists.
South Carolina, the defending national champs, will face UConn or UCLA for the national championship at 2 p.m. CDT Sunday. Texas ended its season with a 35-4 record and set the school record for wins in a season. Three of their losses were to the Gamecocks.
More details and quotes from the postgame press conference will be added
