South Carolina’s matchup with Tennessee in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament gave fans an unforgettable ending on Saturday.
It looked like the No. 1 Gamecocks were headed for their first loss of the season, until 6-foot-7 center Kamilla Cardoso banked a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
The kicker: it was the first made three of her career. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year hadn’t even attempted a shot from beyond arc since the 2020-21 season, during a game against Syracuse. Saturday marked her 114th appearance since then.
That’s why the No. 5 Tennessee Vols left her wide open when they had a 73-71 lead with 1.1 seconds on the clock, but the Brazilian center proved that every Gamecock is a threat with a ball.
The mind-blowing finish sent Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper down to the hardwood, devastated. She’d coached a solid game against the Gamecocks, aiming for her first win against them in two strong attempts this season.
Tennessee had just mounted an impressive comeback from a 23-point deficit before the stunning end. It was star senior forward Rickea Jackson’s offensive rebound and fadeaway shot that gave them the lead with 24 seconds to play. She recorded 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the heroic performance, which was spoiled in the final second.
Now, South Carolina is headed for the SEC championship game on Sunday having won 32 consecutive conference games.
This story will be updated.
