Women's basketball squad now 2-0
Ashley Bruner's emotions are as easy to read as the scoreboard. Whenever the junior forward missed a free throw on Monday night, she threw her head back and sometimes shouted in obvious frustration. But when she scored, her smile lit up the arena.
Bruner had a lot to smile about in USC's first regular season home game, as her post play propelled South Carolina to a 60-53 win over Alabama A&M. With the victory, the Gamecocks have started the season 2-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign.
"[The Bulldogs] sat back in the zone and made us make plays," said coach Dawn Staley. "We were playing east and west instead of north and south, more than we should have. I was very glad that our post players got the ball a lot and made something happen. They worked well with one another."
Bruner provided a spark off the bench for the Gamecocks, leading the team with 15 points, four steals and three blocks.
"Ashley's a starter for us, but right now she's giving us the bang off the bench, and she's doing the things she's done for the past couple of years," Staley said.
Six of Bruner's points came as part of a 13-0 run in the first half that helped the Gamecocks take a commanding 26-11 lead. But a four-minute scoreless spell gave the Bulldogs time to close the gap, and USC held a 30-24 advantage at the half.
The junior picked up right where she left off after the break, scoring seven of Carolina's first nine points in the second half. Alabama A&M kept the game close for most of the period, trailing by four with five minutes left to play. But USC scored eight straight to take a 59-47 lead which effectively sealed its win.
Bruner was one of four Gamecocks in double digits for scoring. Senior La'Keisha Sutton and junior Ieasia Walker each had 13 points, and freshman forward Aleighsa Welch added 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
"I thought Aleighsa did especially well, it being her second college game," Staley said. "I knew she would instantly help our basketball team. She's pretty aggressive. She has a great basketball IQ, and she doesn't mind mixing it up. I thought she just played an excellent game."
The Gamecocks started the game taking outside shots, but Welch and Bruner keyed the Gamecocks' offensive production in the second half by being aggressive inside. USC finished with 38 points in the paint.
"One thing that we emphasized throughout the whole game plan with this team was to get the ball in the post," Welch said. "Once we got it in to me and Ashley, we could finish or make something happen with the guards, drawing a double team and dishing it off or going up and drawing a foul. Being able to produce points was the one thing that we wanted to do, and I think we were able to do that."