Sophomore forward A’ja Wilson caught fire in the fourth quarter to propel the Gamecocks past the sixth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes Friday night.
Wilson scored 12 of her 20 points in fourth and also collected crucial rebounds en route to the 88-80 victory.
With tight low-post defense, South Carolina was able to overcome an offensive explosion from Ohio State guards Kelsey Mitchell and Ameryst Alston, who combined for 59 points and eight three-pointers.
The night started well for South Carolina, as the team came out and received their rings for winning the SEC last season, in addition to hoisting the banner for reaching the Final Four. The game also got off to a good start, as the Gamecocks jumped out to a 19-5 lead less than five minutes into the opening period.
The Buckeyes began to fight back, earning their first lead of the game just before halftime, and took a two-point advantage into the locker room. Ohio State was the more physical team in the game’s first 20 minutes, but that changed as soon as the teams hit the court for the second half.
After the break, South Carolina outscored the visitors 30-8 in the paint and earned a 31-20 edge in rebounding. This increase in physicality was sparked by Wilson and junior center Alaina Coates, who combined for 18 points and 17 rebounds in the second half.
Tiffany Mitchell, senior guard and Player of the Year Candidate, had a quiet night by her standards, scoring 15 points but turning the ball over eight times. The Gamecocks had 20 turnovers in the contest, but forced the Buckeyes to commit 18, keeping the advantage to a minimum.
Playing a top-tier team such as the Buckeyes in the season opener sends a message to the rest of the country that this Gamecocks team is a force to be reckoned with. Head coach Dawn Staley has her sights set on the national championship this season, and this team certainly has the talent to do it. The Gamecocks play major conference teams in three of their next four games, taking on Clemson, UCLA and Arizona State before returning home to face Duke on Dec. 6.
Before the road trip, however, the second-ranked South Carolina team will take on UNC Greensboro in Colonial Life Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m. The team will be looking to extend its home winning streak to 36 games, as the Gamecocks have not lost in Columbia since February of 2013.