South Carolina Gamecocks Eliminated from SEC Tournament

Gamecocks fall to Oklahoma Sooners in first round matchup

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team was eliminated from the SEC Tournament after losing to the Oklahoma Sooners 78-65 in the first round matchup at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The No. 14 seeded Gamecocks, who finished the regular season with a 13-18 record, were unable to overcome the No. 11 seeded Sooners and their 17-14 record.

Why it matters

The loss ends South Carolina's season and their hopes of advancing in the SEC Tournament. For the Gamecocks, it marks another disappointing campaign after the team failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.

The details

South Carolina kept the game close in the first half, trailing Oklahoma by just 4 points at halftime. However, the Sooners pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Gamecocks 44-33 to secure the 78-65 victory. Oklahoma was led by junior guard Trae Young, who scored a game-high 25 points.

  • The game was played on March 11, 2026 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
  • The teams previously met on January 20, 2026.

The players

Trae Young

A junior guard for the Oklahoma Sooners who scored a game-high 25 points in the win over South Carolina.

South Carolina Gamecocks

The No. 14 seeded men's basketball team from the University of South Carolina, who finished the regular season with a 13-18 record.

Oklahoma Sooners

The No. 11 seeded men's basketball team from the University of Oklahoma, who improved to 17-14 on the season with the win over South Carolina.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was going to be a tough game against a scrappy South Carolina team, but I'm proud of the way our guys stepped up and executed in the second half to pull out the win.”

— Lon Kruger, Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners (Oklahoma Daily)

What’s next

The loss ends South Carolina's season, while Oklahoma advances to the second round of the SEC Tournament.

The takeaway

South Carolina's early exit from the SEC Tournament is another disappointing result for a Gamecocks program that has struggled to regain its footing since its surprise Final Four run in 2017. Oklahoma, meanwhile, keeps its postseason hopes alive with the first-round victory.