South Carolina's defense comes up huge

Madina Okot scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead No. 3 South Carolina to a 60-56 victory over No. 16 Kentucky on Sunday.

The Gamecocks built a 54-43 lead with 8:28 remaining, but their offense stalled, with only Okot and Tessa Johnson contributing baskets down the stretch as the Wildcats rallied late.

Clara Strack led Kentucky's comeback with 24 points and nine rebounds, scoring eight points in the final minutes. The Wildcats had the ball down 58-56, but Teonni Key missed a layup, and a tie-up on the rebound gave South Carolina possession. Okot sealed the win with a layup.

Johnson contributed 12 points, and Raven Johnson added 11 for the Gamecocks.

Strack shot 11 of 19, but the Wildcats as a team made only 13 of 44 attempts.

South Carolina led 33-27 at halftime before Kentucky used a quick 10-4 run, fueled by Asia Boone's 3-pointers, to tie the game at 37. Okot responded with back-to-back layups to put the Gamecocks ahead, and they extended their lead to 54-43 before holding on for the victory.

Boone was the only other Wildcat to reach double figures with 11 points.

The Gamecocks' defense played a crucial role in securing the win, as they forced key turnovers and limited Kentucky's scoring opportunities late in the game. Despite Strack's strong performance, South Carolina's balanced scoring and resilience under pressure allowed them to maintain their lead and close out the matchup successfully.