South Carolina secured the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Southeastern Conference women’s basketball tournament after winning a coin flip against Texas. Both teams finished with identical 15-1 records in conference play, necessitating the coin flip to determine the top seed for the tournament set to commence in Greenville on Wednesday.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey conducted the coin flip remotely from Birmingham, Alabama, during halftime of the LSU versus Mississippi game. The live broadcast on the SEC Network captured the moment, with South Carolina emerging victorious in the flip, prompting jubilation in their locker room.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley expressed her excitement about the outcome, acknowledging the unique nature of determining seeding through a coin flip. Staley also noted her surprise at learning that other sports also utilize this method for tiebreakers.
Meanwhile, Texas players, having just secured a resounding victory over Florida, accepted the coin flip result with equanimity. Center Taylor Jones emphasized the team's readiness to face any opponent, regardless of the seeding.
The Gamecocks, as the top seed, will benefit from playing the early game on Friday at noon EST, providing them with additional rest before the semifinals compared to Texas, who will play six hours later. However, Texas may have a smoother path to the final, especially with third-seeded LSU missing star player Flau’jae Johnson due to a shin injury.
This marks the ninth occasion in the last 12 tournaments that South Carolina has secured the No. 1 seed, underscoring their consistent dominance in the conference. As the tournament unfolds, all eyes will be on these top-seeded teams as they vie for supremacy in one of women’s college basketball’s most competitive conferences.
