Clara Strack matched her career best with 33 points as ninth-seeded Kentucky overcame a halftime deficit to defeat 22nd-ranked Georgia 76-61 in Thursday’s SEC women’s basketball tournament second round in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Wildcats (23-9) found themselves trailing by a single point at the break but dominated the final two quarters, outpacing the eighth-seeded Bulldogs 19-13 in the third period and 22-12 in the fourth frame to secure their spot in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Teonnie Key contributed a double-double performance with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Tonie Morgan also reached double figures with 14 points. Strack pulled down eight rebounds to complement her scoring outburst for Kentucky.
Georgia (22-9) received strong offensive contributions from Dani Carnegie’s 18 points, Trinity Turner’s 14 points, and Mia Woolfolk’s 11 points. However, the Bulldogs struggled significantly in the second half, converting just 37.9% of their field goal attempts and managing only 2 of 12 three-point shots after intermission.
Kentucky maintained excellent shooting throughout the contest, finishing at 50% from the field. The Wildcats will now prepare to face top-seeded South Carolina in Friday’s quarterfinal round.
No. 7 Oklahoma 82, Florida 64
Fifth-seeded Oklahoma dominated the third quarter to pull away from 12th-seeded Florida, with Raegan Beers leading the way with 18 points and Aaliyah Chavez adding 17.
The Sooners (24-6) began the second half with a decisive 10-0 run and continued their surge by outscoring the Gators 27-7 in the third quarter, transforming a narrow two-point halftime advantage into a commanding 67-45 lead. Zya Vann contributed 14 points and Brooklyn Stewart added 12 for Oklahoma, which advances to meet fourth-seeded LSU in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Florida (18-15) was paced by Liv McGill’s 28-point performance, including 13 successful free throws out of 17 attempts, along with eight rebounds. Me’Arah O’Neal chipped in 10 points for the Gators. McGill was responsible for nine of Florida’s 24 turnovers in the loss.
No. 24 Ole Miss 73, Auburn 57
Seventh-seeded Ole Miss bounced back from a four-game losing streak to end the regular season, using a commanding opening quarter to cruise past 15th-seeded Auburn.
Christeen Iwuala paced the Rebels (22-10) with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Cotie McMahon and Latasha Lattimore each contributed 13 points. Ole Miss shot efficiently throughout the game, converting 52.8% of their field goals and an impressive 53.8% from beyond the arc.
The Rebels established control early by outscoring Auburn 21-6 in the first quarter and extending their dominance to a 48-20 halftime advantage. Auburn (15-17) never mounted a serious comeback threat despite Khady Leye’s 17 points and eight rebounds and Kaitlyn Duhon’s 14 points.
Ole Miss will face second-seeded Vanderbilt in Friday’s quarterfinal action.
