South Carolina women's basketball: Bree Hall leads tough win over Alabama
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South Carolina started slowly but wore down Alabama for a 65-52 win.
Coming off a week of rest, South Carolina had its full 14-player roster available for the first time in several weeks. Alabama, on the other hand, was playing its third game in seven days and was without top reserves Megan Abrams and JaMya Mingo-Young.
South Carolina got a typical game from Aliyah Boston. She had 16 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks, and four assists. It was her 14th double-double of the season.
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But when starters Zia Cooke (six points on 2-11 shooting) and Brea Beal struggled (three points, 1-9 shooting), Bree Hall picked up the slack. Hall is known more for her defense, but when Alabama left her open, she knocked down shots. Hall had a career-high 18 points and hit 4-8 from three.
The difference in depth was apparent in the second half.
Alabama got a big first quarter from Brittany Davis (eight points) and trailed by two going into the second. South Carolina shut down Davis in the second, so Sarah Ashlee Barker took over with eight points and Alabama was within seven at halftime.
But by the second half, South Carolina had both players figured out, and Dawn Staley rotated defenders. Brea Beal took a turn on Barker, Raven Johnson disrupted Alabama’s offense, and Boston and Kamilla Cardoso protected the rim.
After combining for 21 points in the first half, Barker and Davis had just seven points in the second half, with three coming from Barker as time expired.
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Both teams had just two players score in double figures, but the difference was down the line. Alabama got just seven points off the bench, all from Loyal McQueen. South Carolina got 35, with seven points from Johnson and four each from Cardoso and Laeticia Amihere.
South Carolina wore down Alabama on the glass as well. The Crimson Tide were plus-two in the first quarter, but then outrebounded in each remaining quarter and finished minus-11. The Gamecocks had a 26-8 advantage in second-chance points.
Notes:
Talaysia Cooper was available but did not play. … Eleven Gamecocks played. … South Carolina was 8-23 from three, both SEC highs. … Alabama, which leads the SEC with over nine made threes per game, was just 6-16. … South Carolina committed just eight turnovers and had 15 points off 11 Alabama turnovers. … Aliyah Boston braids report: Boston continued with her blue braids with teal highlights. … Dawn Staley fit report: Staley wore a black blazer over a green Jalen Hurts Eagles jersey. … Announced attendance was 4,255. It was Alabama’s largest home crowd since the season-opener. … South Carolina’s next game is Thursday against Kentucky.
