I will let you know now that I feel anxious about the SEC Championship game this afternoon. The Longhorns earned the right to play for the SEC Championship after beating the LSU Tigers yesterday. It was a contested game for 40 minutes in which both teams fought hard to play South Carolina this afternoon.
When you take on the South Carolina Gamecocks, the difference in the game could come down to one or two possessions. Every little team mistake against the Gamecocks could cost them the win. South Carolina Women's Basketball Head Coach Dawn Staley runs a tight ship. That's why they are so good every season.
The Longhorns will have to play a perfect game this afternoon to win the SEC Championship in their first season in the conference. What a storyline that would be if the Longhorns knocked off the reigning champs in their first season in the SEC. That would be awesome heading into the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament this year. Here is a preview of the SEC Championship game later this afternoon.
Previewing the Gamecocks
The Longhorns will have to play an almost perfect game against the Gamecocks if they want to win the title this year. Let's start with Gamecocks Junior forward Chloe Kitts. She has been one of the best forwards in the SEC this season. She averages ten points and eight rebounds a game.
The Longhorns must box her out from grabbing any rebounds this afternoon. That's only one of the players the Longhorns will have to stop today. They have some talent on their bench as well.
Freshman forward Joyce Edwards is one of their top players on the bench. She averaged 13 points and five rebounds a game in her first college basketball season. She scored 21 off the bench for the Gamecocks in their semifinal game against the Oklahoma Sooners last night.
It shows that Dawn Staley has talent up and down her roster. The Longhorns were able to beat them once this season. Can they beat them for a second time? It's up to how the Longhorns show up against their team this afternoon.
Previewing the Longhorns
Madison Booker will have to perform as she did against LSU yesterday so that the Longhorns can have a shot this afternoon.
Booker showed flashes of Kevin Durant against LSU last night, one of the better performances she's had this season. They will need the 25 points she scored yesterday against South Carolina. She's not the only player who needs to show up for the Longhorns to have a shot at upsetting the Gamecocks this afternoon.
Rori Harmon is another player the Longhorns will need this afternoon. They will need her to score more than ten points. With the way she dictated the offense yesterday, Harmon will be able to get the ball to her open teammates to score. It will be another close basketball game like it was in the semifinals.
Every little mistake could spell disaster for the Longhorns this afternoon. If the Longhorns take it one possession at a time, they could be hoisting the SEC Title above their heads later tonight.