Follow along here to recap the biggest games and moments from the last day of the women's basketball regular season, on Sunday, March 2.
Ole Miss downs No. 7 LSU behind second-half comeback
The Ole Miss Rebels flipped the script in the second half, overcoming a double-digit deficit to shock No. 7 LSU, 85-77, at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Sunday afternoon.
Key Takeaways:
-
Best Win of the Year? This could be Ole Miss’s best game of the season — securing their first top-10 road win to close out the regular season will be hard to top.
-
Second-Half Surge: Ole Miss (20-9, 11-6 SEC) trailed by 13 at halftime but erupted for 32 points in the third quarter, outscoring LSU 54-33 in the final 20 minutes.
-
LSU’s Turnover Trouble: The Tigers (27-4, 12-4 SEC) committed 23 turnovers, allowing Ole Miss to capitalize and shift the momentum.
TAMEIYA SADLER. pic.twitter.com/pDADIfyQ5G
— Ole Miss Women's BB (@OleMissWBB) March 2, 2025
Momentum shifted when Tameiya Sadler knocked down a big three to cut into the deficit early in the third, and the Rebels’ relentless defensive pressure forced LSU into errors. By the fourth quarter, Ole Miss had snatched control and never looked back.
LSU played without Flau’jae Johnson for the first time this season, which may have impacted their late-game execution and depth on both ends of the floor. The big win for the Rebels will likely strengthen their NCAA tournament resume. For LSU, it’s a tough loss ahead of postseason play, exposing vulnerabilities in late-game execution. Next up? The SEC Tournament.
Georgia stuns No. 11 Tennessee
Georgia held off a second-half surge from Tennessee, taking down the Lady Vols 72-69 on the road.
It was a day of firsts for the Bulldogs as Georgia picked up its first ranked win of the season and secured its first SEC win on the road since February 2024. The Bulldogs were 0-16 on the road in conference play this season heading into the matchup.
Georgia (12-18, 4-12 SEC) started hot in front of a hostile Knoxville crowd, jumping out to an 18-2 lead in the first quarter before the Vols closed out the final two minutes on an 8-0 run. Georgia continued to roll into the next 10 minutes, leading by as much as 23 midway through the second quarter. But Tennessee (21-8, 8-8 SEC) went on another late run, closing the gap to 13 points by halftime.
De-Mauri Flournoy powered the Bulldogs in the first 20 minutes, dropping 13 points and going a perfect 3-3 from deep in the first half.
After a shaky first half where the Vols shot just 25 percent from the field, Tennessee found its rhythm in the third, opening the second half on a 13-0 run to tie the game 39-39 midway through the quarter. The SEC foes traded buckets to close out the third as Georgia carried a 48-46 lead into the final 10 minutes.
The Vols took their first lead of the game, 58-57, with 5:29 to play in the fourth, but a 6-0 run from the Bulldogs with under four minutes to play sent the game to the charity stripe, where Georgia closed out the pivotal upset on the final day of the regular season.
The Dawgs do it!🙌
— Georgia Basketball 🏀🐶 (@UGA_WBB) March 2, 2025
Georgia defeats #11 Tennessee on the road.#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/XwacEHzFPU
Even with 21 turnovers, the Bulldogs were able to hold on down the stretch as Tennessee finished 21-62 from the field, including 6-of-28 from 3-point land. It was an off-day offensively for the nation's 11th, and Kim Caldwell's squad will try to regroup before the SEC tournament kicks off on Wednesday, March 5.
No. 6 South Carolina beats No. 15 Kentucky, clinches share of SEC regular season title
No. 6 South Carolina and No. 15 Kentucky were in a dogfight with six minutes left in the contest.
Separated by just one point, the Wildcats were a defensive stop-and-score away from taking their first lead of the game. The Gamecocks were looking to hold onto their lead, once as high as 11 points, and clinch a share of the SEC regular season title.
That moment in time turned out to be Kentucky’s last chance at a victory, as South Carolina’s late-game surge led to a 78-66 win. Additionally, it was the program’s ninth SEC regular season title since 2013.
A freight train couldn’t stop the Gamecocks down the stretch, scoring at will and defending at a high level. Following the Wildcats’ basket at the 6:12 mark, South Carolina went on a 10-0 run and forced four turnovers.
IT. IS. LOUD!! 🗣️
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) March 2, 2025
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/6GWIbUZZs4
The Gamecocks ended the matchup on a 13-2 run and forced six turnovers, while holding Kentucky to zero points in the last 2:45 minutes of the game. Guards Tessa Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley combined for 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Tied for first place in the conference with No. 1 Texas, a coin flip by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey went in South Carolina's favor to receive the No. 1 seed in the SEC tournament.
Virginia outlasts No. 8 North Carolina in Chapel Hill thriller
Virginia women’s basketball ended 24 years of frustration in Chapel Hill, knocking off No. 8 North Carolina 78-75 on Sunday to snap a 16-game road losing streak in the head-to-head series.
The Cavaliers (16-14, 8-10 ACC) trailed by double digits early and faced a 10-point deficit after the first quarter. But led by a clutch performance from Latasha Lattimore and a late push from Kymora Johnson, Virginia steadily chipped away.
North Carolina (25-6, 13-5 ACC) led 41-30 at halftime, but Virginia’s offense found life after the break. The Cavaliers outscored the Tar Heels 26-19 in the third quarter, riding hot shooting from behind the arc. Virginia finished 11-for-23 from 3-point range, nearly doubling UNC’s six made threes.
Lattimore scored 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and hit a pair of crucial 3-pointers. Paris Clark added 17 points, while Johnson recorded a near triple-double with 15 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists.
BANG 💥
— Virginia Women's Basketball (@UVAWomensHoops) March 2, 2025
E drills a career-high fourth three-pointer to cut the lead to five!#GoHoos🔸⚔️🔹 #GNSL pic.twitter.com/LPMJ1K7HQ8
The game’s final minute was a whirlwind. After Indya Nivar’s layup gave UNC a 74-73 lead with 19 seconds left, Virginia answered at the free-throw line. Clark calmly sank two clutch free throws to put the Cavaliers ahead for good, and Johnson followed with two more after a defensive stop.
Maria Gakdeng led North Carolina with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Lexi Donarski scored 18. However, UNC’s offense sputtered in the fourth quarter, managing just 15 points to UVA's 22.
The victory gives Virginia its first win at Carmichael Arena since 2001 and a crucial resume boost ahead of the ACC tournament. For UNC, it heads into the ACC tournament on a two-game skid.
No. 19 Maryland surprises No. 12 Ohio State in last-second effort
No. 19 Maryland closed out its regular season in dramatic fashion, pulling off a 93-90 overtime win against No. 12 Ohio State on Sunday at XFINITY Center. Sarah Te-Biasu delivered the game-winning moment, banking in a running 3-pointer with one second left to seal Maryland’s fifth-ranked win of the season.
The back-and-forth battle featured eight ties and eight lead changes, capping a wild Big Ten finale for both teams. Ohio State’s Madison Greene tied the game at 90 with seven seconds to play, but Maryland opted not to call timeout. Te-Biasu took the inbound pass, raced up court, and launched the winner just before the horn.
SARAH CALLS GAME!! 🔥 #faMily 🐢 pic.twitter.com/PIrPeQo2l4
— Maryland Women’s Basketball (@TerpsWBB) March 2, 2025
Kaylene Smikle led all scorers with 26 points, including 15 in the second half, while Shyanne Sellers poured in 21 points and dished out eight assists despite briefly leaving the game in the third quarter with an injury. Sellers knocked down four 3-pointers, tying her season-high, and passed the 1,600-point mark for her career.
Ohio State, which had already beaten Maryland in Columbus in January, fought back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Taylor Thierry scored 21 points for the Buckeyes, while Cotie McMahon added 18. The Buckeyes held a 46-40 advantage in the paint and outscored Maryland’s bench 23-6, but Maryland’s starting five answered every run.
The win locks Maryland into the No. 4 seed for the Big Ten Tournament, which comes with a double-bye. The Terps will next play on March 7, while Ohio State, the No. 3 seed, will also have a double-bye.
For Brenda Frese, the victory marked her 99th career win over a ranked opponent at Maryland, adding another milestone to her Hall of Fame-worthy career.
Crooks, Cyclones roll past No. 14 Kansas State
- Audi Crooks scored a season-high 36 points with 10 rebounds, leading Iowa State to an 85-63 win over No. 14 Kansas State.
- Emily Ryan added 17 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds in what could be her final home game.
- The Cyclones shot 53.6% from the field and out-rebounded K-State 47-31.
- Iowa State secured its first win over a ranked team this season.
