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It’s all SEC for women’s title after Mississippi St stunner

Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) shoots over Connecticut guard Gabby Williams (15) for the winning shot in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) shoots over Connecticut guard Gabby Williams (15) for the winning shot in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) shoots over Connecticut guard Gabby Williams (15) for the winning shot in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

By Associated Press 3 min read

DALLAS (AP) – Now that UConn is shockingly out of the way, it’s time for an SEC party with a pair of teams that have never played in the NCAA women’s championship game.

Mississippi State’s stunning 66-64 upset that snapped the Huskies’ record 111-game winning streak Friday night means a third meeting this season with South Carolina for the title on Sunday.

Some new blood is filling in for the blue bloods at the Final Four, with the Bulldogs pulling their stunner in their first trip to the semifinals and the Gamecocks taking over in the second half of their second visit and beating frequent semifinalist Stanford 62-53.

Instead of Geno Auriemma going for a fifth straight title and 12th overall with UConn, it’ll be a pair of first-time coaches in South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and Mississippi State’s Vic Shaefer.

But they’re not complete novices. Staley made three straight Final Fours as a player with Virginia in the early 1990s without winning a title before leading South Carolina to its first bid two years ago. Schaefer was on the staff when Texas A&M won the championship six years ago.