Boston’s 25-rebound night helps USC hold off Arkansas, avenge SEC tourney loss
When South Carolina women’s basketball star freshman Aliyah Boston takes the floor, there aren’t many who can match her massive 6-foot-5 frame.
Against No. 21 Arkansas on Thursday, there wasn’t anybody even close.
Boston nearly out-rebounded the Razorbacks herself through three quarters, and the No. 4 Gamecocks held off Arkansas 91-82 for their fifth win over a ranked team this season.
The tone for the evening was set early, as Boston scored the game’s first four points for USC (15-1, 3-0 SEC), pulling down three offensive rebounds in the process. She ended the night with 25 boards and 19 points.
“I’m just doing what I’m really supposed to be doing, I don’t really pay attention to the stats. So it’s just, I’m just doing what I have to,” Boston said, calling it the best rebounding game of her life.
“Gosh guys, Aliyah Boston,” Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said. “We talked about it, and you can show it on film all you want, but until you get next to her, and you see how agile she is and how quickly she closes — you think you’re open, but you’re not. ... Man, 25 rebounds. I had 25 rebounds my entire junior year of high school, I can’t even fathom what that feels like.”
Fellow star freshman Zia Cooke, coming off a 20-point performance against Alabama, reeled off 10 points in a row early with a pair of 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 21 on the night. Senior guard Tyasha Harris added seven, and the Gamecocks put on a clinical display on offense, leading 31-15 after 10 minutes.
On the other side, Arkansas star guard Chelsea Dungee, guarded by senior Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan, missed her first eight shots before taking a seat, as the Razorbacks made just 1-of-5 3-pointers, usually the team’s specialty.
That cold streak continued into the second quarter, as Dungee reached 0-for-11 at the half.
“We were locked in at practice, you know, obviously, we were going over their plays, stuff like that,” Herbert-Harrigan said. “I just had to stay engaged, you know, stay disciplined, stay down, be focused, watch film on her.”
Meanwhile, South Carolina’s scoring touch cooled, as the Gamecocks shot just 4-of-16 from the field in the second quarter. Arkansas fared no better early on, but got going with a pair of 3-pointers from guard Amber Ramirez to fuel an 8-0 run.
As that run unfolded, the physicality of the game increased, and for the most part the officials were content to let the two teams battle it out through contact, despite vocal protests from Dawn Staley. Herbert-Harrigan drained a 3-pointer in the final minute of the half to give USC a 44-30 edge at the break.
Into the third quarter, Boston continued to do as she pleased inside, while Arkansas started to get going from 3-point range. With every big shot that the Razorbacks hit, however, the Gamecocks responded with one of their own. Harris and Herbert-Harrigan joined Cooke and Boston in double figures scoring, and a last-second 3-pointer from Cooke pushed the lead back past 20.
South Carolina seemed to stagnate on both ends in the fourth quarter, though, as Arkansas stormed back to cut the lead to nine points inside a minute to play, with guard Alexis Tolefree hitting three consecutive 3-pointers at one point. Dungee added 14 second-half points to help make things interesting, but Carolina’s lead was too much to overcome.
“We got a good team, but we’re not there yet where we’re able to put teams away,” coach Dawn Staley said. “And if you are fortunate enough to build a big lead, you should be able to finish them off, but it’s hard against a team like Arkansas, especially if you don’t stay locked in. They got transition 3s at the end the fourth quarter that got them back in the game and made it interesting.”
And one
In addition to Boston’s big night on the glass, freshman guard Brea Beal put up a career night with 12 rebounds. All told, USC had a 63-33 edge in rebounds.
Personal foul
After holding the Razorbacks to just 29.7% from the field and 26.7% shooting from 3 in the first half, the Gamecock defense wasn’t as effective in the second, letting Arkansas shoot 45.2% from the field and 53.3% from 3.
WHEN DO THE GAMECOCKS PLAY NEXT?
Who: No. 4 South Carolina (15-1, 3-0 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt (12-4, 2-1 SEC)
When: 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Memorial Gymnasium, Nashville, Tennessee
Watch: SEC Network
Listen: 107.5 FM in Columbia area
South Carolina vs Arkansas box score
ARKANSAS (13-3)—Thomas 0-1 0-0 0, Daniels 4-10 0-0 9, Dungee 4-18 4-4 14, Ramirez 9-19 0-0 20, Tolefree 6-16 5-5 22, Barnum 2-4 0-1 5, Williams 1-2 0-0 2, Doumbia 3-3 1-2 8, Gaulden 1-6 0-0 2, Totals 30-79 10-12 82
SOUTH CAROLINA (15-1)—Boston 7-14 5-6 19, Herbert Harrigan 4-13 3-4 13, Beal 2-6 0-1 4, Cooke 7-23 3-4 21, Harris 5-10 2-2 13, Amihere 2-3 0-0 4, Saxton 2-2 0-0 4, Grissett 2-2 4-4 8, Henderson 2-6 0-0 5, Totals 33-79 17-21 91
Halftime: South Carolina 44-30. 3-Point Goals—Arkansas 12-30 (Thomas 0-1, Daniels 1-2, Dungee 2-6, Ramirez 2-7, Tolefree 5-10, Barnum 1-2, Doumbia 1-1, Gaulden 0-1), South Carolina 8-17 (Herbert Harrigan 2-2, Beal 0-1, Cooke 4-9, Harris 1-2, Henderson 1-3). Assists—Arkansas 13 (Gaulden 7), South Carolina 14 (Harris 7). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Arkansas 33 (Doumbia 2-6), South Carolina 63 (Beal 6-12). Total Fouls—Arkansas 12, South Carolina 12. Technical Fouls—None. A—10,234.
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 8:46 PM.
