The South Carolina Gamecocks may have won the SEC women’s basketball championship on Sunday, but they don’t have much reason to celebrate. Not after plenty of their players were ejected, including star center Kamilla Cardoso.
Now, Cardoso and those involved in the fight during the contest against the LSU Tigers won’t be eligible to play at the start of the NCAA Tournament.
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina Gamecocks Players Ejected vs. LSU
For those who missed it, the South Carolina-LSU game got heated late in the fourth quarter after things turned extra physical. It started when Flau’jae Johnson bumped South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins while heading to the bench. Cardoso took exception to that and ran to shove the LSU star.
Players from both sides then proceeded to clear the bench as tempers flared up. Johnson’s brother even got involved after he jumped over the scorer’s table and onto the court to protect his sister, though he was quickly stopped by security and escorted off the arena.
A total of six players, including Cardoso, were ejected from the game. Four came from South Carolina, and two were from LSU–both were reserves.
Cardoso finished the battle with just eight points and six rebounds, but the Gamecocks did hold on for the 79-72 win and their second-straight SEC title.
Kamilla Cardoso Out for South Carolina Gamecocks in NCAA Tournament
As a result of the heated fight, though, Kamilla Cardoso won’t be eligible when the South Carolina Gamecocks play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Initially, misinformation spread that all players who were ejected wouldn’t be able to suit up in the first round of March Madness. But it has since been clarified that only those players involved in the fight won’t be eligible to play, per reporter Adam Zagoria.
While it’s only Cardoso who won’t be joining the Gamecocks in the NCAA Tournament opener, she remains a big loss. She is a consistent double-double threat, and the Brazilian actually leads the team in scoring with 14.2 points per game.
Dawn Staley’s group, who is the no. 1 seed heading to the tournament, should still have enough talent to beat a no. 16 seed. But sure enough, it will be harder without Cardoso.
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