Madina Okot’s double-double lifts No. 3 South Carolina over No. 22 Louisville 79-77

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Madina Okot had 23 points and 13 rebounds and No. 3 South Carolina outlasted No. 22 Louisville 79-77 on Thursday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

After blowing a second-half lead a week ago against Texas in the Players Era Championship, the Gamecocks (8-1) found themselves in a fight against the Cardinals (7-3).

Okot, a 6-foot-6 senior, had 13 points and 10 rebounds in the second half. Her layup with 1:33 left put the Gamecocks up for good, 76-75.

Okot hit the first of two free throws with eight seconds left to put the Gamecocks up two. Louisville had a chance, but Tajianna Roberts missed a 3-pointer off the inbounds pass.

Okot grabbed that board as well and was fouled. She missed both free throws with two second remaining. Louisville’s Anaya Hardy could not grab the ball cleanly enough to get off a chance for a winning shot.

Tessa Johnson added 20 points for South Carolina, and Raven Johnson had 11 points and eight assists.

Roberts led Louisville with 20 points.

NO. 2 TEXAS 79, NO. NORTH CAROLINA 64

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jordan Lee scored a career-best 22 points, Madison Booker added 18 and Texas beat North Carolina in the ACC-SEC challenge.

Texas (9-0) has won 31 straight home games, this one largely by outscoring North Carolina (8-2) 47-25 in the middle two quarters. Texas led by 24 late in the game.

Lee helped Texas pull away in the second half by stealing two passes and converting them into fast-break layups. Booker hit 10 of 11 free throws.

Kyla Oldacre had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Longhorns, and Justice Carlton scored 11 points. Rori Harmon had eight assists and three of Texas’ 11 steals.

Elina Aarnisalo led North Carolina with 17 points. Indya Nivar scored 16.

North Carolina outshot Texas 47% to 46%, but the Tar Heels committed 20 turnovers that the Longhorns turned into 24 points.

NO. 5 LSU 93, DUKE 77

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Flau’jae Johnson had 18 points to lead six players in double figures as LSU beat Duke in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

MiLaysia Fulwiley added 16 points for the Tigers (9-0), who failed to reach 100 points for the first time this season to end an NCAA-record streak at eight games.

No matter, it was still a dominating offensive performance, with the Tigers shooting 59.7% and scoring 52 points in the paint while needing just five made 3-pointers to crack the 90-point mark.

Ashlon Jackson scored 16 points to lead the Blue Devils (3-6), who have had a miserable start after opening the season as the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference favorite and ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25.

Duke has lost four straight, the past three coming to No. 3 South Carolina, No. 4 UCLA and now LSU by at least 16 points.

NO. 13 MISSISSIPPI 69, NO. 18 NOTRE DAME 62

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Cotie McMahon scored 22 points, Christeen Iwuala added 18 points and 13 rebounds and Mississippi rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit to defeat Notre Dame in the ACC/SEC Challenge to remain unbeaten.

Mahon and Iwuala combined for 13 of the Rebels’ 19 fourth-quarter points with Iwuala’s three-point play early in the period giving Ole Miss (8-0) the lead for good and kicking off an 11-2 run.

McMahon was 10-of-20 shooting shooting and Iwuala 6 of 11 while collecting her fourth double-double this season.

Hannah Hildago scored 28 points including Notre Dame’s final six to keep the Fighting Irish (5-2) within range until she was ejected with a pair of technicals in the final seconds.

Hildago was 10-of 23 shooting, made all eight of her free throws and had five steals. Malaya Cowles added 12 points before fouling out.