A dominant fourth quarter, led by their defense, helped No. 2 South Carolina women’s basketball secure a comfortable 65-37 win over Clemson in the latest edition of the Palmetto Series.
The 37 points allowed were the fewest South Carolina has allowed in a game this season. The Gamecocks held the Tigers to just 2 points in the fourth quarter, the fewest South Carolina has allowed in a quarter in team history.
South Carolina’s size advantage was apparent in the stat sheet. Clemson struggled in the paint, being forced to take 33 3-point shots, only making five.
“We did not make shots,” Clemson head coach Shawn Poppie said. “That is supposed to be a strong suit of ours. If we go 5-33, we’re not going to beat anybody. But the 33 attempts is something that will probably be consistent for us, so we’ve got to find a way to make some shots and finish the game. ”
Conversely, South Carolina was dominant in the lane, only attempting nine threes in the game and shooting nearly 45% from the field.
“We definitely had a size advantage,” sophomore forward Joyce Edwards said. “We just took advantage of that ... We're just executing.”
Edwards was one of South Carolina’s strongest performers on the night. She finished with 18 points and eight rebounds, including five defensive boards. Edwards’ three blocks also led the team.
Senior center Madina Okot, the tallest player on the court standing at 6'6, also had a standout performance. Her 12 rebounds, including eight defensive, led the game. She also contributed offensively with 12 points.
Despite the win, South Carolina struggled in the third quarter. The Gamecocks were outscored 11-10 in the frame and ended the quarter with a nearly seven-minute scoreless run.
The Gamecocks then responded with a commanding fourth quarter performance, outscoring the Tigers 20-2.
“The change was just a more disciplined unit out there on the floor that was connected on both sides of the ball,” Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley said. "We locked in defensively, and we rebounded the basketball, and came back down and didn’t take quick shots and moved the defense, and when you do that against a team like Clemson, you’re going to really get some good looks.”
Though South Carolina dominated the Tigers defensively, their offensive performance may lead to some scrutiny. The Gamecocks' 65 points were a season-low, down from 94 points and 114 points, respectively, in their opening two games.
A subplot of the game was sophomore guard Maddy McDaniel’s suspension.
The team announced McDaniel would not be with the team on X before the game. Staley declined to give any details surrounding McDaniel’s suspension after the game and did not say whether she expected McDaniel to be back with the team before the end of the season.
“That’s on her,” Staley said. “We’ll evaluate it every day. ”
The victory marks South Carolina women’s basketballs’ 15th straight victory over its in-state rival. The win also marked the program’s 200th victory at Colonial Life Arena, with the first coming against the Tigers 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 L.A. to face No. 8 USC on Saturday at 9 p.m. The game will be broadcast by FOX.