No. 2 South Carolina women's basketball (3-0) defeated Clemson (2-1) 65-37 on Tuesday night at Colonial Life Arena.
Senior guard Ta’Niya Latson opened the scoring for the Gamecocks with a free throw. Senior center Madina Okot then put in the rebound off a missed free throw, giving South Carolina an early 3-0 lead.
The Gamecocks dominated the opening stages of the game, getting off to an 11-0 start. The run was headlined by sophomore forward Joyce Edwards, who scored 6 early points.
Clemson struggled early on offense and was mostly limited to shots from behind the arch, starting 0-5 from the three. Senior guard Mia Moore scored first for the Tigers with a 3-pointer, before adding a 2-point field goal shortly after.
South Carolina responded to Clemson’s 5-0 run with two 3-pointers, first by Latson and then from freshman guard Agot Makeer.
Edwards continued her strong start with a 3-point play late in the first quarter. Clemson junior guard Hannah Kohn then sunk a 3-pointer as time expired in the opening quarter.
South Carolina ended the first quarter with a 20-12 lead. The Gamecocks’ defensive quality was on full display, with five blocks in the opening frame.
The second quarter began more evenly, with Tigers senior guard Taylor Johnson-Matthews scoring 4 straight points for the visitors to cut the deficit to six. South Carolina responded with a 5-0 run to reestablish an 11-point lead.
Clemson, however, continued to cut into the Gamecocks’ advantage. Junior guard Rusne Augustinaite’s 3-pointer cut the lead to 5. The Gamecocks responded with an 8-0 run to build a 13-point lead.
Senior guard Rachael Rose scored a 2-point field goal as the second quarter drew to a close, leaving the Gamecocks with a 35-24 lead at halftime.
Edwards continued her strong start, finishing with 14 points in the first half. Okot also shined in the first half, entering the third quarter with seven rebounds, more than any other player in the first two quarters.
Despite finding more offensive success as the game progressed, Clemson still struggled from three, ending the first half 4-19 from behind the line. South Carolina found success in the paint, only attempting five threes in the first half.
Edwards scored the first points of the third quarter with a 2-point field goal. Johnson-Matthews responded for the Tigers, sinking a 3-point shot.
Junior guard Tessa Johnson scored 6 straight points, first with an and-one and then a 3-pointer to give the Gamecocks a 16-point lead.
South Carolina slowed down offensively in the third quarter, closing the frame with a nearly seven-minute scoreless run. Clemson went on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 10, with graduate forward Demeara Hinds scoring 4 points.
Makeer ended the Gamecocks' scoreless run with a 3-pointer to begin the fourth quarter. Okot added 2 points from the line to give South Carolina a 50-35 lead with eight minutes left in the game.
Johnson added to the lead with a 3-point shot to extend the Gamecocks’ advantage. Okot followed with a 2-pointer to give South Carolina a 10-run to start the fourth quarter and a 20-point lead.
Hinds’ two free throws were Clemson's only points of the fourth quarter, coming with five-and-a-half minutes remaining.
South Carolina continued to build its lead as the game came to a close, responding with 6 consecutive points to lead 61-37 with three minutes left in the fourth.
Okot continued her strong performance, with a blocked shot and 2-point field goal in the same sequence late on.
South Carolina scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, limiting the Tigers to 2 points in the period, securing a 65-37 triumph. Clemson’s 2 points were the fewest amount South Carolina has allowed in a quarter in team history.
The victory marked South Carolina women’s basketball's 300th win at Colonial Life Arena, with its first coming against Clemson on Nov. 17, 2002.
What’s next?
The No. 2 Gamecocks will look to move to 4-0 on the season when they travel to Los Angeles, California, to take on No. 8 USC on Saturday at 9 p.m. The game will be broadcast on FOX.