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.
Paopao said the whole group celebrated behind the scenes.
"We're a team," she said. "We're going to bounce back from that learn from our mistakes."
South Carolina was ahead 73-66 when Fulwiley stole the ball from Johnson, who wrapped her up and was called for a foul. Johnson then bumped South Carolina's Ashlyn Watkins, and Cardoso rushed over and pushed Johnson to the ground. Players from both benches rushed toward them.
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said Johnson came up to her after the game to apologize, telling Staley, "I'm not that type of player." Staley, too, apologized on behalf of her program to the remaining South Carolina fans who filled the arena all weekend.
Staley's assessment of the dustup?
"What you saw were two highly competitive teams and they did not handle it well," she said.
The penalties, Staley said, were appropriate, and she will spend time the next week or so before the NCAA tournament reminding her players not to give in to emotions at heated times.
"People see that this is now part of our game," she continued. "We have to fix it."
Cardoso, too, apologized on social media after the game. The SEC did not open locker rooms to reporters.
"My behavior was not representative of who I am as a person or the South Carolina program, and I deeply regret any discomfort or inconvenience it may have caused. I take full responsibility for my actions," posted Cardoso, a former prep standout for Chattanooga's Hamilton Height Christian Academy.
Two LSU players — Aalyah Del Rosario and Janae Kent — who logged minutes in the game and came off the bench were also ejected, leaving the Tigers with five at the end of the game and South Carolina with six.
Cardoso can be expected to miss time in the NCAA tourney for her actions. The Gamecocks enter March Madness as the clear-cut No. 1 seed and the only undefeated team left in Division I this season, men or women, and they won the SEC tournament title against the reigning national champion.
It was South Carolina's 16th straight win over LSU, including all four meetings since Kim Mulkey took over as coach of the Tigers three seasons ago.
Aneesah Morrow led LSU with 19 points, while Angel Reese had 15 points and 13 rebounds, her third straight double-double in the tournament.
Reese — who hasn't won in four tries against South Carolina, including as a sophomore at Maryland — believes the Tigers are poised for another strong run NCAA run, even if it brings another meeting with the Gamecocks
"We're not scared of South Carolina," she said. "Anybody who sees us should be scared. We're in a good place right now."
Iowa 94, Nebraska 89 (OT)
MINNEAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark overcame a cold start to score 30 of her 34 points after halftime and help third-ranked Iowa rally past Nebraska in overtime and win a third straight Big Ten tournament title.
Hannah Stuelke had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Hawkeyes (29-4), who trailed by 13 points late in the first half after their superstar, Clark, missed all nine of her 3-point attempts.
The NCAA's all-time leading scorer finished 5-for-17 from deep, had 12 assists and hit the dagger 3 with 51 seconds left in OT for an 89-97 lead just 16 seconds after Logan Nissley's 3 put the Cornhuskers in front.
Alexis Markowski had 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead Nebraska (22-11) in a valiant performance that fell short of a second victory over Iowa this season. The Huskers beat the Hawkeyes 82-79 on Feb. 11.
USC 74, Stanford 61
LAS VEGAS — McKenzie Forbes scored 26 points as the fifth-ranked University of Southern California (26-5) beat No. 2 Stanford (28-5) to win the Pac-12 tournament and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
The Trojans (26-5) played in the championship game for the first time since 2014, when they also defeated Stanford for their only other tournament title.
Forbes, a senior, finished 11-of-21 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, and was named tournament MVP.
Cameron Brink led the Cardinal with 19 points.
Notre Dame 55, N.C. State 51
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Star freshman Hannah Hildalgo had 22 points — including a pair of baskets for the lead down the stretch — as 14th-ranked Notre Dame held off No. 10 North Carolina State to win the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, the first title in five years for the Fighting Irish (26-6).
Hildalgo also had six rebounds and as many assists for the Irish (26-6), and was named tournament MVP.
Notre Dame won the ACC tourney in its first four seasons in the league from 2014-17, lost in the final in 2018, then returned to win a fifth title in 2019.
River Baldwin had 14 points and seven rebounds to lead N.C. State (27-6).