The SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament’s number one seed was decided by a coin flip between South Carolina and Texas, who both finished with a 15-1 conference record. At halftime of the Ole Miss at LSU game on Sunday evening, Commissioner Greg Sankey did the honors. South Carolina won the coin toss, securing the top seed.
As a result, South Carolina, Texas, LSU, and Kentucky will receive double-byes to the quarterfinals. This means they’ll skip the first two rounds and start playing on Friday.
These teams will have a significant advantage in the tournament, having earned a spot in the quarterfinals without having to play in the earlier rounds.
Dawn Staley, head coach of the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team, has led the Gamecocks to three NCAA Championships (2017, 2022, and 2024) and now adds her ninth SEC regular-season championship. Her teams have also won eight tournament titles. Chloe Kitts, Milaysia Fulwiley, and Joyce Edwards are just a few of the top stars for the Gamecocks.
Vic Schaefer led his Texas Longhorns to a share of the SEC regular season championship in his first season back in the SEC since he coached Mississippi State. They are the current No. 1 team in the country in the AP Poll. Madison Booker will lead a talented group into Bon Secour Wellness Arena attempting to take their first tournament championship.
Flau’jae Johnson, the star junior guard for LSU, will be sitting out the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament due to shin inflammation. According to Kim Mulkey, Johnson’s coach, the decision was made to prioritize Johnson’s health and ensure she’s 100 percent ready for the NCAA Tournament, which starts on March 19.
Johnson has been dealing with shin issues since the Texas game on Feb. 18, but she’s been playing through the pain. However, her performance has suffered lately, and Mulkey decided it’s best to give her some rest. Her absence will be felt, as she’s the team’s leading scorer, averaging 18.9 points per game. With the third seed and a double bye in the tournament, LSU will have to manage without one of their stars this week in Greenville, SC.
Kenny Brooks, in his first season at Kentucky, led the Wildcats to the fourth seed and a double bye in the SEC Tournament. The Wildcats have had a quick resurgence under Brooks’ leadership. All-American point guard Georgia Amoore and Clara Strack have been a key players for the Cats. At 5-4 against ranked teams this season, the Wildcats are poised to make a push at the conference tournament.
The 2025 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament is loaded with top teams and star players. Play begins Wednesday for the bottom 8 seeds and builds to the championship game on Sunday March 9th. It is going to be a fun and interesting week finding out which teams will make a statement for the NCAA Tournament committee. Which players will shine and lead their team to big wins? And who comes out on top with the SEC Tournament Championship.
Check out our fun article on our passion for March Madness here
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