MiLaysia Fulwiley, Joyce Edwards shine as South Carolina reaches 6th consecutive SEC tournament championship game

Sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley and freshman Joyce Edwards have proven to be South Carolina's 1-2 punch off the bench. They have been a vital piece of the Gamecocks' current streak, which handed them a sixth consecutive SEC Tournament final.

Edwards led the Dawn Staley-coached team with 21 points and five rebounds. In comparison, Fulwiley added 19 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals for No. 5 South Carolina, which clobbered No. 10 Oklahoma 93-75 in the semifinals on Saturday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.

The 5-foot-10 Fulwiley was 6-of-14 from the field, including 1-of-3 from the 3-point line, and made six of seven attempts from the free-throw stripe in 21 minutes. Meanwhile, Edwards, the No. 2-ranked freshman in the Class of 2024, behind Sarah Strong, shot 8-of-17 and went 5-of-6 from free throws.

During the six-game stretch where South Carolina has beaten its foes, including the two SEC Tournament games, Edwards and Fulwiley have been consistent contributors off the bench. The 6-foot-3 forward has averaged 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game in 22.3 minutes.

Fulwiley, meanwhile, has fared better in the current run, averaging 15.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.2 apg and 2.2 spg while playing 21.2 minutes per contest.

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MiLaysia Fulwiley discusses importance of South Carolina's record-setting sixth-straight SEC Tournament finals appearance

MiLaysia Fulwiley talked about the significance of South Carolina's six consecutive SEC Tournament Finals appearance in the post-game media availability following its 18-point semifinal win over Oklahoma.

Fulwiley, who was a part of last season's championship team that swept all 38 games, including the national final against the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes, said that the records they accomplish mean a lot for the team.

"Teams don't come out here and do like what we do how often we do it," Fulwiley said (3:41). "So I feel like us as a team, we're living up to our expectations, and it starts in practice."

The sophomore guard credits the rigid preparations before each game as a catalyst for putting up these kinds of achievements. The precise executions they made were products of their hard practices, saying they push each other and come together as a group. Fulwiley believes that the records they achieve are a part of their game plan for success.

South Carolina meets No. 1 Texas in the SEC Tournament final on Sunday. It will be the third time the two teams face each other this season, with each team winning once apiece.