The Connecticut Huskies proved to be in a class of their own Monday night, defeating the No. 2 South Carolina women’s basketball team 66-54 to stand alone as the final remaining undefeated team in the nation.
Already without starting forward Asia Dozier, the Gamecocks lost sophomore forward A’ja Wilson to a left leg injury for a chunk of the second quarter, and all but 28 seconds of the third.
Wilson returned to the court in the waning seconds of the third quarter sporting a bulky brace, but damage had been done to more than just the team’s leading scorer’s body. The Gamecocks were outscored 19-8 in the period, as the Huskies extended their lead to 21, their largest of the night. Between Wilson’s absence and foul trouble for junior center Alaina Coates, South Carolina had no match for the size of 6-foot-2 Morgan Tuck and 6-foot-4 Breanna Stewart, who had 14 of their combined 41 points in the third quarter alone.
Senior forward Sarah Imovbioh played a significant amount of minutes in Wilson’s absence, and she turned in a strong performance, putting up a season-high 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Outside of the Virginia transfer, the Gamecocks shot a dismal percentage from the floor, making just 14 of 47 shots from the field, including a 3-10 performance from beyond the arc.
Despite double figures from Wilson and senior guard Tiffany Mitchell, the Gamecocks never really seemed to be in the game. Connecticut led 17-8 at the end of the first quarter, and South Carolina did not lead for a single second of game action. It was the usual suspects doing the damage for the Huskies as preseason All-Americans Stewart, Tuck and Moriah Jefferson nearly outscored the Gamecocks by themselves, combining for 53 points to South Carolina’s 54.
The Gamecocks never stopped fighting, outscoring the Huskies 21-12 in the final period, but it was simply too little, too late. Mitchell and sophomore guard Doniyah Cliney hit threes on consecutive possessions midway through the quarter, but as they did all night, Connecticut had the answer. Stewart knocked down a long-range shot to answer Mitchell, deflating the last bit of energy in the Colonial Life Arena crowd.
Connecticut excelled in neutralizing South Carolina’s strengths, as the Gamecocks were unable to hold an advantage in rebounding or points in the paint, being matched by the Huskies in both categories.
“We said if we either win the rebound battle, or we keep it even, then we’re going to be in great shape,” Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said.
Only six players played more than four minutes for the visitors, but they managed to stay out of foul trouble against a South Carolina team that loves to play physical. Despite picking up four fouls, Jefferson played all 40 minutes, putting up 12 points and a game-high six assists while facilitating the Connecticut offense.
While no doubts remain that Connecticut is the nation’s top team, South Carolina still boasts a 22-1 record, having won nine games against ranked opponents. The Gamecocks will look to get back on track Thursday when they host the Florida Gators at 7 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.