HOW IT HAPPENED,”Kellie Harper might be fired from the team Vols sadly announced’
Tennessee’s run in the SEC Tournament has come to a close in heartbreaking fashion.
South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso knocked down her first 3-point attempt since her freshman season at the buzzer to lift the Gamecocks over the Lady Vols 74-73.
The final shot came with no defender in the area as the previously 0-for-0 career shooting from range banked in the shot. This eliminated Tennessee (19-12) from the SEC Tournament in the semifinals.
Previously, Tennessee had beat both Alabama and Kentucky in the tournament but the 5-seed Lady Vols didn’t have enough for the 1-seed Gamecocks (31-0).
The Lady Vols trailed by as much as 23 in the game before pitching a comeback behind the efforts of Rickea Jackson and Jewel Spear. The pair combined for 43 points after they both hit the 20-point mark against the Tide the day before, as well.
As a team, Tennessee shot 41.1% from the field and 34.8% on 3-pointers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Things got ugly in a hurry. The Lady Vols didn’t score their first points until over seven minutes into the game. At this point, South Carolina had created a 13-point lead.
At the end of the first quarter, Tennessee had gotten a 3-pointer from Jackson and Spear. That was it. The score sat at 19-6.
In the second frame, the Lady Vols saw more success. They tied the quarter at 17 to keep it at a 13-point deficit. This came after Tennessee trailed by as much as 23.
It was an 11-1 run from the Lady Vols that got the job done. They got points from Tamari Key, Karoline Striplin, Spear and Jasmine Powell during this stretch.
Leading the way in the first half was Spear who earned eight points. The team shot 25% from the field and 23.1% on 3-pointers.
In the third quarter, the Lady Vols couldn’t make much of a cut into the lead. They would go into the final quarter down 12.
In the fourth, Tennessee instantly made a run. An 11-2 stretch out of the break cut the lead to three early. The Lady Vols used play from both Jackson and Spear to tie it with just over four minutes to go.
With 30 seconds remaining, Jackson made a turnaround shot to give Tennessee its first lead of the game. There was still a second on the clock, though, for the Gamecocks to get off a shot down two.
Ultimately, Kardoso, who was yet to take a 3-point attempt in her South Carolina career, banked in a shot at the buzzer to win. No defender was in the area as she released the shot.
UP NEXT
Now, Tennessee will await its selection in the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Vols are projected to be an 8 or 9-seed by most publications.
