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After two days of waiting, the South Carolina Gamecocks finally hit the floor at the SEC Tournament. Their quarterfinal round opponent: the Auburn Tigers. Here's a look at what to expect - also, the comments section is open for your reaction during the game.
(1) South Carolina Gamecocks vs. (9) Auburn Tigers
When: Friday, March 4, 2016 | 12:00 p.m.
Where: Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, FL
TV: SEC Network | Live Stream: WatchESPN.com
Three-Point Preview
The regular season matchup went to the Gamecocks. The Tigers actually led the January 21 contest, 15-13, after a quarter of play, but a 20-5 second quarter quickly turned things in South Carolina's favor as they won 74-58 at Auburn Arena. Alaina Coates and Tiffany Mitchell led the way with 17 and 13 points, respectively, while Coates added ten rebounds to give herself a double-double. Katie Frerking matched Coates' 17-point performance for the Tigers.
It was a close call for the Tigers yesterday as they beat the, well, Tigers - Missouri, that is - in a 47-45 second-round affair. Auburn won despite a 9-22 three-point shooting performance by Mizzou; Auburn sank one of its five three-point attempts. Morgan Stock was 5-7 from beyond the arc as she recorded a game-high 17 points, but it wasn't enough as Mizzou's top scorer, Sophie Cunningham, was held to just five points.
The winner takes on the winner of the (4) Florida Gators vs. (5) Kentucky Wildcats tilt. The Gamecocks beat both teams during the regular season (Florida once and Kentucky twice), but from a matchup standpoint, they had a fit with the Wildcats' defense before eventually pulling away. Granted, the Gamecocks are the favorite, but if they beat Auburn, that semifinal opponent will be far from a cakewalk.