It’s not every day that Dawn Staley and her South Carolina Gamecocks find themselves facing a genuine challenge in the SEC. Yet, Monday night’s matchup against Tennessee revealed cracks in their seemingly unshakable foundation. The No. 2 Gamecocks, fresh off an emotional win over LSU, faced a challenge that gave their opponents a ray of hope.

What else could it be? The stellar team looked uncharacteristically fatigued and sluggish. And why not? The Gamecocks sealed a 66-56 win against LSU in Columbia, SC, improving their SEC record to 19-1. They shot a staggering 37.1% from the field while holding Louisiana to a mere 29.9%. Impressive, right? Not only that—the Tigers, who average 90 points per game, were limited to just 56, marking their lowest-scoring output of the year.

Naturally, the Gamecocks have borne the dire consequences of that grueling game on the court. But, in this struggle, rival coach Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee found a blessing. The “helpless” Lady Vols, with a refined game plan, showcased an aggressive full-court press and a fast-paced transition offense. Caldwell’s evolving system kept the Lady Vols competitive in nail-biters against elite teams.

Despite four losses by a combined eight points, it’s clear Tennessee is knocking on the door of greatness. Even Monday’s game was no exception. The Lady Vols opened the game with a 9-5 lead, capitalizing on South Carolina’s fatigue and early shooting struggles. While the Gamecocks went just 2-for-8 from the field to start, Tennessee’s tempo disrupted Staley’s squad, forcing rushed decisions and sloppy execution.

Staley herself admitted that her team was feeling the effects of fatigue from the LSU game, and it showed. However, not everything went as it seemed. The Gamecocks proved once again why they have reigned supreme for so long.

Lady Vols’ late surge falls short as Gamecocks maintain SEC dominance

Despite having the early edge, the Lady Vols suffered their fifth defeat of the season. No. 18 Tennessee fell behind early against the defending champions as the Gamecocks remained unbeaten in SEC play. What happened, that the tide turned so quickly? Tennessee’s roster simply couldn’t get their offense going all night.

They shot just 31% from the field and a dismal 12% from beyond the arc. Not only that, but Tennessee was held to a season-low 63 points, their lowest since scoring 60 against LSU last season.

While the Lady Vols tried to mount a comeback, the spirited Gamecocks stayed composed. An early 10-2 run in the fourth quarter cut the deficit to 14, and the lead dropped to single digits with less than two minutes remaining. Tennessee even trimmed the lead to six points with just 14 seconds left. But the Gamecocks prevented the comeback from happening – leaving fans riveted in the thrilling matchup that ended 70-63.

Could this be the dawn of a new SEC rivalry? Stay tuned—the answer might just surprise you.