Texas Women Triumph Over South Carolina with Harmon’s Last-Second Basket

The Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team pulled off a thrilling win over the South Carolina Gamecocks in the women’s title game of the Players Era Championship.

Rori Harmon hit a last-second shot, sealing a 66-64 victory and keeping Texas undefeated. That final play? Absolutely electric.

The Longhorns had to claw back from a significant deficit. Both teams delivered standout performances, and the whole game felt like a battle right to the buzzer.

Texas Longhorns’ Road to Victory

Texas, sitting at No. 4, went up against No. 2 South Carolina—no easy task. The showdown happened in Las Vegas, grabbing all the attention at the Players Era Championship.

At one point, Texas trailed by eight. But they didn’t fold. Instead, they fought back with some serious grit.

Key Players and Moments

Rori Harmon stayed quiet for most of the game, but then she nailed a 10-foot floater with just one second left. That shot won it all and landed her the tournament MVP.

She also became the program’s career leader in assists. Talk about stepping up when it matters.

Other players made huge impacts too:

• Jordan Lee: Led the team with 19 points.
• Madison Booker: Scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
• Justice Carlton: Added 13 points and eight rebounds.

South Carolina’s Strong Performance

South Carolina didn’t make it easy. Four of their players scored in double figures, showing just how deep their bench goes.

Ta’Niya Latson and Joyce Edwards each put up 16 points. Tessa Johnson and Madina Okot also stepped up, with Okot getting her sixth double-double of the season before fouling out.

Turning Points in the Game

The game swung back and forth. South Carolina held a six-point lead early in the third quarter, but Texas flipped the script.

In the final stretch, Texas outscored South Carolina 24-14. Their defense and clutch plays down the stretch made all the difference.

Other Notable Performances in the Tournament

The tournament had its share of standout moments from other teams too. No. 3 UCLA took down Duke in the third-place game, with Gabriela Jaquez dropping 23 points.

Even without star center Lauren Betts, UCLA kept control and never really let Duke back in.

Maryland and TCU’s Dominance

No. 7 Maryland and No. 8 TCU showed up in a big way as well. Maryland cruised past Hofstra, with Kaylene Smikle scoring 13 points.

Twelve different Terrapins scored, which you don’t see every day. TCU beat Richmond behind Marta Suarez, who hit six threes and finished with 24 points.

Impact on Rankings and Future Games

Texas just made a serious statement with this win. Beating a team like South Carolina? That’s going to turn some heads and probably give their ranking a boost.

South Carolina will have to regroup, but they’ve got the talent to bounce back. This loss stings, but it’s not the end of the story for them.

Looking Ahead

Both teams have their eyes on the next challenge. Texas wants to keep that unbeaten streak alive.