GREENVILLE — South Carolina women’s basketball 6-foot-7 forward Alicia Tournebize came to Columbia from France in January and just two months later, she’s playing in her first college postseason.
The basketball element is still brand new but with the SEC Tournament in full force, it adds a new layer.
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Tournebize met with the media for the first time after No. 1 seed South Carolina (30-2) won 87-64 over No. 9 seed Kentucky in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.
“It’s quite different, big tournament, big games that we have to play,” Tournebize said. “It’s still new for me but I’m happy to see how everyone is during the tournament here.”
Tournebize finished with three points, two rebounds and a block in her first game in Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Dawn Staley is looking for her 10th SEC Tournament championship and fourth in a row since she took over as coach of South Carolina in 2008. After that the Gamecocks will try to win their fourth NCAA championship.
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Tournebize, a freshman, watched March Madness while growing up in France.
“I’ve seen it from the outside but from the inside, it’s great,” Tournebize said of the atmosphere and playing in a college basketball tournament.
She played professionally for the French club Tango Bourges Basket before announcing her commitment and arrival to Staley’s squad.
Tournebize averages 4.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 11.8 minutes off the bench. She had a season-high nine points in the overtime loss to Oklahoma on Jan. 22, then had back-to-back eight point games against Mississippi State and Tennessee to start February.
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The Gamecocks get the winner of No. 4 seed LSU or No. 5 seed Oklahoma in the quarterfinals on March 7 (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Alicia Tournebize, South Carolina transfer gives first interview
