The SEC/ACC Challenge has officially concluded and it was just as chaotic as expected. The SEC won the challenge 10-6, but there are a ton of takeaways from some of the best matchups of the year.
Two elite games headed to overtime
Four quarters weren’t enough for the two best games of the challenge, with both Texas at Notre Dame and Stanford at LSU needing an overtime period to decide the winner.
Texas/ND in South Bend was a Top 10 matchup that was just as competitive as hoped. Despite a plethora of injuries, the Irish came out on top with all five starters logging more than 40 minutes. Sophomore sensation Hannah Hidalgo scored 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists and added three steals. She was in her element, playing in big moments on a big stage.
Stanford/LSU wasn’t expected to be quite as close as it was, but the Cardinal are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country – and they came out hot. The Tigers weren’t able to catch up until the final seconds of the fourth quarter, but they had all the momentum in overtime. Sophomore Mikaylah Williams knocked down two shots from deep in the extra time and finished with 32 points and nine rebounds. That win gave the Tigers their fifth NET Top 100 victory of the season, which ranks first nationally.
Oklahoma and NC State bounce back
The Oklahoma Sooners lost a heartbreaker in Las Vegas last week to Duke after forcing overtime. This week, they handed the Louisville Cardinals their third loss of the season – and the Sooners did it on the road. Payton Verhulst had another impressive performance, with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 4-of-8 shooting from deep. This was a major win for Oklahoma.
NC State has faced three top-10 opponents already and has one of the toughest strength of schedules to date, but they’ve fallen in each game to South Carolina, TCU and LSU. But last night, against a Top 25 Ole Miss team, they bounced back with a 68-61 victory. Freshman Zamareya Jones made four shots from deep and the rest of the starters put up really solid performances in the Wolfpack’s first resume win of the year.
Tennessee earns first resume win of the year
Tennessee was undefeated and ranked heading into the ACC/SEC Challenge, but was in need of a solid resume win to cement their spot. They got that win when they took down Florida State on Wednesday.
Although they let go of a hefty lead, they were able to hang on and notch the win over a fringe Top 25 squad that features Ta’Niya Latson, the nation’s leading scorer. Talaysia Cooper has been such a bright spot this year, averaging 19.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
Georgia Tech stays undefeated
Georgia Tech was in a similar situation to Tennessee – in need of a resume-booster. They took down Mississippi State to stay undefeated and now have a couple of solid wins under their belt. The Bulldogs were ranked last week, and it seems likely that the Yellowjackets will steal their spot now.
Gamecocks take down a Top 5 opponent
South Carolina was absolutely dominant in the first half of their game against No. 4 Duke at home. They came out strong and ended Duke’s six game win streak, despite an impressive late push for the Blue Devils.
Junior Chloe Kitts notched her third double-double of the year and tied her career-high with 21 points. The Gamecocks at home are a phenomenally dangerous team, as they extended that win streak to 62 straight games.
