With a double-double from junior forward A'ja Wilson and 18 points from SEC Player of the Week Allisha Gray, the No. 5/4 South Carolina women’s basketball team completed a regular season sweep over Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum Thursday night.
Wilson, who missed the first game against Georgia with an ankle sprain, totaled a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead USC to a 62-44 victory and remain undefeated in conference play.
The Gamecocks’ 23 first-half points are the lowest they’ve scored in a half all season and can be credited to a strong showing from the Bulldog defense, which forced seven turnovers and limited USC to 25 percent field goal shooting.
In the second quarter, the Gamecocks didn’t score until the 5:16 mark. But Gray created some breathing room by scoring 7-straight points to put them up 23-15 at the half. Georgia accumulated 10 turnovers in the first half, plus a blocked shot by senior center Alaina Coates, giving her 200 on her career.
Freshman Araion Bradshaw nailed a 3-pointer to start the second half, which seemed like it was going to ignite the USC offense. But going 5-of-14 from the free throw line allowed Georgia to pull within 6 at the end of the third.
Coates, who led the team with 13 rebounds, sat out most of the fourth quarter in foul trouble. But the Gamecocks elected for a small lineup and upped their field goal shooting to 64 percent, which helped them pull away towards the end.
Up next, the Gamecocks will be back at home to take on Tennessee at 6 p.m. Monday.