Lexington, KY – Kastine Evans made a go-ahead layup with 25 seconds remaining and sealed the win at the foul line, as No. 9 Kentucky earned a 78-74 comeback win over No. 16 South Carolina.
Evans broke a 72-72 tie with a bucket inside, and after South Carolina turned it over, Jennifer O'Neill sank two free throws for a four-point lead.
A quick basket by Ashley Bruner made it a one-possession game again, but Evans hit two from the stripe with nine seconds left to clinch the Wildcats' third straight win.
O'Neill finished with 19 points while A'dia Mathies added 15 for Kentucky (22-3, 10-2 SEC), which dropped a 55-50 decision to South Carolina last month and trailed by 14 at the break before pulling out the win.
The Gamecocks (20-5, 8-4) had five players score in double figures, with Elem Ibiam and Aleighsa Welch checking in with 15 points apiece.
South Carolina turned a three-point deficit into a 26-18 lead in the first half behind a 13-2 run.
Asia Dozier's 3-pointer just before the buzzer gave the Gamecocks a 44-30 lead at intermission, and they continued to play front-runner until a 9-0 run, capped by a Mathies 3-pointer, gave the Wildcats a 69-68 lead with under four minutes to play.
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