Despite being shorthanded for the second game in the row, the South Carolina women's basketball team was able to use their eight available players to defeat the Vanderbilt Commodores 95-82 Thursday night.
Senior A'ja Wilson missed her second game due to a sprained ankle, and sophomore Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan was out due to a bone bruise, so it was all hands on deck for the Gamecocks. But South Carolina did suffer a few more injuries during the game.
The third quarter looked to be disastrous, as the Gamecocks went from eight healthy players to six. Redshirt senior Lindsey Spann suffered a knee injury, but she was later able to return to the game. Sophomore Tyasha Harris rolled her right ankle, had it taped and did not play the remainder of the game.
Junior transfer Alexis Jennings led the way for the Gamecocks, picking up 27 points, her most at South Carolina, and 13 rebounds. Freshman LeLe Grissett had 22 points and nine rebounds, both career-highs for the young forward. Five Gamecocks scored in double figures, and the team ended the game shooting 66.7 percent from the field, which is their best shooting performance of the season.
Even though South Carolina didn't have a lot of players to work with, the team was able to find their momentum against a struggling Vanderbilt (5-14, 1-4 SEC) team. The Gamecocks scored within the first 35 seconds and would lead the entire game.
South Carolina (15-3, 4-2 SEC) hopes some of these players will be back as it stays on the road and faces Kentucky on Sunday.