GREENVILLE, SC – Georgia Coach Joni Taylor was not sure what to think when Mikayla Coombs was lying under the basket in pain, the coaches focused on her right leg.
“It scared me to death,” said Taylor, who saw Coombs being helped off the floor in the second half without putting any weight on the injury.
However, the transfer of UConn returned to the second half, scoring 12 of his 14 points, the best of the season, and taking the No. 16 Bulldogs to the SEC Tournament semifinals for the first time in 17 years, with a defeat between the first place and No. 2 Texas A&M 74-68 on Saturday.
Maya Caldwell had 19 points and Jenna Staiti had 13 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks while the Bulldogs (20-5) denied SEC regular season champion Aggies (23-2) the chance to win league titles.
Coombs, who missed out last season, hit the bucket that put Georgia 51-50 to start the final period.
She added a driving tray moments later. And when Coombs fired through the defense for another internal shot, Georgia was 59-53 and would not be caught.
Caldwell said that Coombs has supreme speed and often puts on a show in practice.
“It’s who she is,” she said.
Coombs left the bench in his first season with the Bulldogs, scoring 10 or more points just three times before Texas A&M.
“When Mikayla is aggressive, she is very difficult to stop,” said Taylor.
The Aggies discovered this and now have a slightly longer break before discovering their place in the NCAA Tournament, where they are designed as the number 1 seed.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re 1 or 2,” said Texas A&M coach Gary Blair. “As long as you are playing in the state of Texas, this is our home. But we saw some mistakes today that we have to correct.”
Georgia, who beat Kentucky number 17 in Friday’s quarter-finals, will face South Carolina’s 7th position in today’s game.
“We know we still have business pending,” said Caldwell.
DO NOT. 7 SOUTH CAROLINA 67,
DO NOT. 14 TENNESSEE 52
GREENVILLE, SC – Zia Cooke scored 17 points, and Aliyah Boston had 15 points and 11 rebounds, while South Carolina’s No. 7 surpassed Tennessee’s No. 14 and entered the SEC tournament title game for the sixth time in seven years. .
Defending champion Gamecocks (21-4) will seek his sixth tournament crown since 2015 tonight.
This semifinal was never difficult, as South Carolina fired with 19-2 to close the first quarter with a 29-13 lead.
Unlike the first meeting between these teams – Tennessee went up 16 by less to hand South Carolina its first SEC loss in two seasons – the Gamecocks kept the pressure on all the time.
Tennessee (16-7) was trying to make his first appearance in a final since 2015.
Jordan Walker and Jordan Horston each had 11 points to lead Lady Vols.
25 BEST OF WOMEN
DO NOT. 1 UCONN 77,
ST. JOHN’S 41
UNCASVILLE, Connecticut – Freshman Paige Bueckers scored 17 points and best-placed UConn opened their postseason with a 77-41 victory over St. John’s in the Big East quarterfinals.
Christyn Williams (Central Arkansas Christian) added 14 points for the Huskies (22-1). UConn has won 158 consecutive games against opponents of the conference since losing to Notre Dame in the 2013 Big East title game.
UConn will face Villanova today.
Leilani Correa and Unique Drake each had seven points for St. John’s (8-15).
DO NOT. 3 NC STATE 66,
GEORGIA TECH 61
GREENSBORO, NC – Elissa Cunane had 23 points and nine rebounds and the State of North Carolina overcame a 10-point handicap in the fourth quarter to defeat Georgia Tech in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.
Kayla Jones added 12 points and eight rebounds to defending champion Wolfpack (19-2). They will face No. 5 Louisville today.
Lorela Cubaj and Lotta-Maj Lahtinen each scored 17 points for Georgia Tech (15-8).
DO NOT. 5 LOUISVILLE 72,
SYRACUSE 59
GREENSBORO, NC – Dana Evans scored 13 points, Olivia Cochran added 10 points and 10 rebounds and Louisville beat Syracuse to advance to the ACC Tournament championship game.
Kianna Smith added 11 points to Louisville (23-2).
Emily Engstler had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Syracuse (14-8).
DO NOT. 6 BAYLOR 93, KANSAS 67
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Nalyssa Smith had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Dijonai Carrington added 20 points and Baylor beat Kansas.
The Lady Bears (21-2, 16-1 Big 12) have already won their 11th consecutive title in the regular season – the fifth longest streak in NCAA women’s Division I history. Baylor won 13 consecutive games and 14 consecutive games against the Jayhawks in 2014.
Holly Kersgieter scored 16 points for Kansas (7-17, 3-15). The Jayhawks have lost 12 of their last 13 games.
DO NOT. 8 MARYLAND 88,
PENN STATE 61
COLLEGE PARK, Maryland – Chloe Bibby had 15 points and nine rebounds and Maryland beat Penn State to end the regular season’s Big Ten championship.
Diamond Miller had 14 points for Terrapins (21-2, 17-1).
Niya Beverley scored 15 points for the Nittany Lions (9-14, 6-13).
DO NOT. 10 INDIANA 74,
PURDUE 59
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Mackenzie Jones scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth period and Indiana beat Purdue for the school’s 18th record Big Ten victory.
The Hoosiers (18-4, 16-2) established the previous mark of 15 in 1982-83.
Kayana Traylor scored 17 points for Purdue (7-15, 3-15).
DO NOT. 12 MICHIGAN 63,
NORTHWEST 58
ANN ARBOR, Michigan – Naz Hillmon had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Akienreh Johnson also scored 19 points and Michigan won the Northwestern.
Amy Dilk added 12 points for Michigan (14-4, 9-4 Big Ten).
Veronica Burton led the Northwestern (13-7, 11-7) with 19 points.
OMAHA 52,
DO NOT. 21 SD STATE 40
SIOUX FALLS, SD – Josie Filer had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Omaha defeated the state of South Dakota to become the first number 8 to defeat the first placed in the Summit League Tournament.
The Mavericks (6-12) ended the Jackrabbits’ 18-game winning streak.
Tylee Irvin and Paiton Burckhard scored 10 points each for the state of South Dakota (21-3).
VILLANOVA 78,
DO NOT. 25 DEPAUL 72, OT
UNCASVILLE, Connecticut – Madison Siegrist scored 10 of his 30 points in overtime Villanova beat DePaul to reach the semifinals of the Big East Tournament.
Brianna Herlihy added 19 points for Villanova (15-5).
Deja Church had 19 points for DePaul (14-8).
SOUTHERN WOMEN
NORTHWEST STATE 50,
CENTRAL ARK. 45
Northwestern (La.) State held the University of Central Arkansas to six points in the fourth period, taking their first win of the season on Saturday afternoon at the Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
UCA (11-13, 9-7 Southland) saw their three-game winning streak break after entering the last quarter with a 39-35 lead. Kalen Green scored five of his team’s 12 highest points for Northwestern State (1-19, 1-14) in the final 1:37.
Lucy Ibeh led UCA with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Teammate Briana Trigg scored 12 points and pulled 14 rebounds to go along with 3 assists.
Tournament look
SATURDAY SEMIFINALS
Georgia 74, Texas A&M 68
South Carolina 67, Tennessee 52
TODAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP
All central times
Georgia x South Carolina, 1 pm