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South Carolina

This week in South Carolina women's basketball

by: Kevin Miller12/03/24kevinbmiller52
South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

South Carolina women’s basketball spent its first week not ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll since week 1 last season. USC responded with two blowout victories in the Fort Myers Tip-Off, including one over a ranked foe. Below is a brief overview of last week and a look forward at the week to come for the Gamecocks.

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South Carolina Gamecocks smother Iowa State

Facing off against a top-15 opponent, USC released some frustrations against the Iowa State Cyclones. The Carolina defense held Iowa State scoreless for nearly 15 straight minutes of game action as part of a 9-point first half.

The Gamecocks had a decent day on offense, but it was way more than they needed. The Cyclones shot just 23% from the field and 17% from the perimeter thanks, in large part, to elite defense from Dawn Staley’s crew. In addition to great shot contests, Carolina also stole the ball from ISU 13 times.

Joyce Edwards logged a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes.

Result: South Carolina won 76-36

South Carolina Gamecocks dominate Purdue

If the defense dominated in the win over Iowa State, the offense is what shone through against Purdue. South Carolina scored 99 points despite having a bad shooting day from the perimeter and from the free throw line. Chloe Kitts and MiLaysia Fulwiley combined to go 8-for-9 from the foul line; the rest of the team shot 3-for-9.

The Gamecocks had seven different players (Kitts, Fulwiley, Ashlyn Watkins, Tessa Johnson, Bree Hall, Joyce Edwards, and Maddie McDaniel) all score in double figures including a combined 9-for-9 effort from Kitts and McDaniel.

Six different USC also pulled down at least five rebounds. Most impressively, Adhel Tac had five in nine minutes, and Edwards had nine in 17 minutes of action.

Result: South Carolina won 99-51

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What’s coming this week for South Carolina women’s basketball

Over the next week, the Gamecocks will play games against two AP top-10 opponents.

The first, a matchup against the No. 8 Duke Blue Devils in Columbia, is part of the SEC/ACC Challenge. The all-Carolinas battle will air on ESPN and begin at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday night. South Carolina beat the Blue Devils last year in Durham in a hotly contested affair that was close until late.

Then, a weekend trip to Dallas-Fort Worth is up next. USC will play the 9th-ranked TCU Horned Frogs at Dickie’s Arena on Sunday as part of the Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m., and ESPN will broadcast the contest.

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