Commodores rally, pull away in overtime
In spite of several promising stretches, however, the Gamecocks couldn't claim a victory, falling in overtime 74-60
"It's disappointing, but it's not over," junior guard La'Keisha Sutton said. "It's going to make us play even harder to make a statement in the SEC Tournament."
After leading by as much as 10 points in the second half, Carolina saw its advantage disappear in the waning moments of regulation. With the game tied 56-56, Carolina (16-13, 8-8) turned the ball over with 19 seconds to go, but Vandy (19-10, 10-6) failed to convert on its final possession, sending the game to overtime.
The extra five minutes proved to be too much for the Gamecocks, who shot 1-for-11 from the field and managed to score only four points. The Commodores, on the other hand, shot 5-for-5 and made seven free throws en route to earning an important victory.
"Panic? Maybe," said coach Dawn Staley. "I just felt like we tried to get it back quickly rather than moving the ball and figuring out where we could find mismatches. I thought we did that well to build a lead."
The Gamecocks hit the ground running at the beginning of the game, allowing the Commodores to score first but then putting up nine straight to build a comfortable lead in the opening minutes.
USC, who now holds the No. 5 seed of the conference tournament, led by as much as nine in the first half, but couldn't put away the Commodores, who eventually tied the game 26-26. Sophomore guard Ieasia Walker knocked down a jumper in the final seconds to give Carolina a two-point lead heading into the locker room and finished the opening period with 12 points and three assists.
The Gamecocks and Commodores traded baskets at the beginning of the second half before USC separated with a 10-0 run that gave it a 46-36 lead. But again, Vanderbilt refused to back down, gradually narrowing the gap.
Vanderbilt shot well all game, hitting 54 percent of its shots on the afternoon, while the Gamecocks struggled, hitting just 31.9 percent.
"I just think they were executing their offense," Walker said. "They were going to the basket and tagging us, trying to make the refs call fouls, and they were finishing with contact, which was a difference from us. We weren't finishing with contact."
Vandy received a huge boost from its bench, which outscored Carolina's 36-12. The Commodores dominated under the basket as well, scoring 40 points in the paint to USC's 28.
"The thing what's really been killing us lately are free throws and layups," Staley said. "If we were able to convert in those two areas like we were in the first 35 minutes of the game, we win the game."