COLUMBIA, S.C. — One thing still holds true, and it is that the South Carolina Gamecocks run women’s basketball for the Southeastern Conference. The no.2 Gamecocks dismantle no.5 Texas in a top-5 SEC showdown on Sunday, Jan. 12.
The lady Gamecocks cruised to a 67-50 win at home and move to 16-1 overall, 4-0 in SEC play and 8-0 home record so far this season. South Carolina had three players score in double figures and two more players finish with eight points each. It was a total team effort that started on the defensive end.
Texas came into the game averaging 90.4 points per game, which was the fourth highest in Division 1. The Longhorns only scored 17 total points in the first half, and was held to a 27.8 field goal percentage and shot 20 percent from the three-point line. The 50 points scored was a season low for them.
The rebounding battle was pretty even with the Gamecocks having a slight edge, 42-40, despite giving up 20 offensive rebounds. The Longhorns also dominated the turnover battle by forcing the Gamecocks into 22 turnovers for the game.
“With our team, they seem to really focus in, when there is a number beside our opponent,” head coach Dawn Staley said after Sunday’s win. “They practice a little better, they’re more focused, they talk less. They knew the intangibles of this game would play a huge role in us winning.”
Despite this year’s squad not having a real star to depend on like other team’s in the past, the Gamecocks are clicking on all levels and a good mix of young and veteran talent. One of those young players who is starting to step into their own is freshman forward Joyce Edwards. The freshman from Camden, S.C. scored 10 points off the bench in the win and will be depended on even more as junior forward Ashlyn Watkins will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL on her left knee suffered against Mississippi State.
“Joyce is unafraid, Joyce is relentless.” Staley said after the game on Sunday. “Joyce has the unfortunate position of having to guard some really bigs and she doesn’t shy away from that, she embraces the physicality of it.”
The win also extends the Gamecocks’ SEC win streak to 51 games. Kentucky was the team to beat them back in 2022 SEC Championship game. Despite not having a clear cut star, this Gamecocks’ squad is not lacking talent. They have five players averaging at least nine points per game compared to last year’s team that had six players. In fact, Edwards and sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley are the team’s top two scorers and both come off the bench.
“I think they’re a product of who we are, that’s what we’ve been,” Staley said. “I think they, like other teams that we’ve had, have had really good chemistry and success, they like each other, they wanna play for each other.”
South Carolina will hit the road on Thursday, Jan. 18th to take on no.18 Alabama.
Reach Greg Hollis @ 803-768-3117 or on X @TheNBOnews