SEC preview: Defending champs South Carolina headline talented conference

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Texas coach Vic Schaefer saw the strength and depth of the Southeastern Conference from way back when he started as a young assistant. Very little has changed with Schaefer and the Longhorns now members of the powerhouse league.

“I think the parity that we have in our league right now is really incredible,” said Schaefer, who was national runner-up in consecutive seasons as Mississippi State coach in 2017 and 2018.

“Back then you had some really dominant teams, then you had some teams that maybe they couldn’t beat those top teams,” said Schaefer, who left for Texas after the 2020 season. “In our league right now on any given night, if you’re not ready to play, you won’t get beat, you’ll get embarrassed.”

The Longhorns, ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP Top 25, are among the SEC teams expected to do the embarrassing this season.

There are four SEC teams in the rankings' top 10, led by defending national champion South Carolina at No. 1, 2023 champ LSU at No. 7 and the other newcomer, Oklahoma, at No. 10. Texas and Oklahoma joining the mix certainly adds to the intrigue in the league title race; there was also a three-way tie for preseason player of the year among LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow along with Madison Booker of Texas.

Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley, going for her fourth national title and third in four years, has learned to let her team evolve on its own. Last year's group was a largely carefree group that talked about silly things, which irked the old-school Staley at first.

“Now, that’s who they are,” Staley said. “I can’t change who they are. As long as they’re working hard, they’re super competitive, they’re respectful.”

The Gamecocks completed the sport's first undefeated season at 38-0 since UConn completed a perfect run to an NCAA title in 2016. South Carolina's main loss from last season was 6-foot-7 centerpiece Kamilla Cardoso, the team's top scorer and rebounder.

They did add the nation's No. 3 prospect in 6-3 Joyce Edwards, who had a double-double (19 points, 12 boards) in South Carolina's 106-exhibition win over Memphis last week.

South Carolina entered the season counting on junior Ashlyn Watkins, a versatile 6-3 defender who led the SEC with 91 blocked shots. But Watkins has been suspended from the program since her arrest on Aug. 31 for assault and kidnapping. Even if the charges are resolved, it's likely Watkins will face a significant suspension before seeing the court again.

South Carolina's Cardoso and LSU's Angel Reese, now teammates with Chicago of the WNBA, were the faces of last year's SEC. Look for LSU junior guard Flau'jae Johnson and Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley to be among those filling those roles last year with big personalities and flashy games to match. Fulwiley was the SEC Tournament's most valuable player in defeating Johnson's team for the title last March.

It was a relatively light season in coaching turnover, but it included the once powerful Tennessee Lady Vols, who parted ways with their national championship guard-turned-coach Kellie Harper and hired Kim Caldwell of Marshall.

Also new is Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks, lured over after a fabulous run where he led Virginia Tech to an ACC Tournament title and Final Four berth in 2023 and league regular-season title in 2024. Brooks believes he can make the Wildcats that successful, too. “It's a great time for me to look at an opportunity such as this,” he said. “They don't come very often.”

South Carolina's schedule is loaded with tests, both in and out of conference. The Gamecocks will play seven of the top 11 teams in the preseason Top 25 this season, starting with No. 9 N.C. State in the season's first week.

LSU takes on South Carolina on Jan. 23 in a rematch of last year's highly charged SEC Tournament finals.

Texas plays the Gamecocks twice (Jan. 12, Feb. 9) in a schedule that also includes No. 6 Notre Dame and Maryland.

The league tournament is in Greenville, South Carolina, which will be the host through 2028 under a three-year extension to hold the event at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

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