GREENVILLE, S.C. — It was a Southeastern Conference tournament celebration like no other in South Carolina women’s basketball history: Six subdued players in white championship hats stood on the podium while the rest of their teammates remained in the locker room.
“It was heartbreaking,” guard Te-Hina Paopao said after the top-ranked Gamecocks’ 79-72 victory over No. 8 LSU was marred by a fourth-quarter fight that led to the ejection of senior Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina’s leading scorer and rebounder this season.
MiLaysia Fulwiley, a freshman named the tournament’s MVP, scored a career-high 24 points as top-seeded South Carolina (32-0) won its eighth tournament crown in the past 10 seasons. LSU (28-5) had a 10-game winning streak halted.
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” Paopao said of missing Cardoso, Tessa Johnson, Chloe Kitts and Sakima Walker at the typically joyous postgame ceremony. “It was very hard for us, just a lot of emotions. We really wanted them to celebrate with us.”
Kitts, Johnson and Walker were ejected for leaving the bench area during the incident, which was sparked with just more than two minutes left to play at Bon Secours Wellness Arena when the 6-foot-7 Cardoso shoved 5-10 Flau’jae Johnson of LSU after an intentional foul.