Gamecocks show out in Top 25 SEC showdown, take down Ole Miss. What we learned
No. 1 South Carolina women’s basketball fended off another SEC opponent Thursday, defeating the No. 24 Ole Miss Rebels 69-40 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.
The SEC matchup was rescheduled after COVID-19 issues within the Rebels’ program postponed the game’s original Jan. 2 date. Ole Miss was fit into the same schedule slot as the Gamecocks’ annual game with UConn, which was canceled to ensure the Gamecocks would play a full SEC slate.
Ole Miss (17-3, 5-2 SEC) entered the game just behind South Carolina (19-1, 7-1 SEC) in conference standings and would’ve passed the Gamecocks with a win. Though South Carolina created separation from the Rebels in SEC standings, USC remains behind Tennessee as the Vols have yet to lose a conference game.
Here’s what we learned about the Gamecocks.
Boston outperforms Austin, earns 13th straight double-double
The presence of 6-foot-5 Ole Miss center Shakira Austin generated immediate interest in how she’d match up with South Carolina star Aliyah Boston.
Austin entered the game averaging 14.6 points (15th in the SEC) and 8.6 rebounds (fourth in the SEC), playing a prominent role in the Rebels’ success in SEC play before Thursday.
Boston, a National Player of the Year candidate on a record-setting campaign, took the spotlight from Austin on the floor.
Boston finished the night with her 13th consecutive double-double, reaching 10 rebounds with 7:16 to go in the fourth quarter. Boston was the game’s leading scorer, finishing with 22 points (5 of 9 shooting, 12 of 13 from the free-throw line) and 12 rebounds.
Austin checked out of the game late in the third quarter after she was called for her fourth foul and returned with 5:20 left to go in the game. She finished the night with 15 points (5 of 18 shooting) and seven rebounds.
Gamecocks start fast, stay dominant
South Carolina got off to an early lead over Ole Miss thanks to an explosive first quarter. The Gamecocks shot 54% from the field to grab a 21-10 lead within the first 10 minutes and extended that lead to 13 points by halftime.
Ole Miss was stifled in transition, scoring just two points on the fast-break compared to South Carolina’s 16. The Gamecocks out-rebounded the Rebels 47 to 33, scoring 14 second-chance points as well as 38 in the paint.
The Gamecocks exerted dominance from the start and continued to extend their lead throughout the game.
South Carolina’s bench got involved once again, scoring 25 of the Gamecocks’ 69 points. Freshman Saniya Rivers showed promise in extended minutes, scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds in 20 minutes of play.
Turnovers, fouls doom Rebels early
Ole Miss came into the South Carolina matchup having won the turnover battle in all its first 19 games and carrying a plus-6.68 turnover margin to lead the SEC.
The Rebels didn’t see the same fate early in Columbia. In the first half, Ole Miss turned the ball over seven times, and the Gamecocks capitalized for seven points off Rebels’ mistakes. South Carolina, which has had its own issues with ball security, tallied just three in the first half.
Ole Miss was called for 10 fouls in the first half alone, sending South Carolina to the free-throw line 14 times. The Gamecocks made 12 of their 14 free throws in the game’s first 20 minutes, while the Rebels went 3 of 6 off South Carolina’s three fouls in the opening half.
The Gamecocks went 24 of 30 from the free-throw line while Ole Miss made seven of its 13 attempts. South Carolina also kept its number of turnovers limited, committing just nine to the Rebels’ 13.
Next South Carolina women’s basketball game
Who: No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks (19-1, 7-1 SEC) vs. Florida Gators (15-5, 5-2 SEC)
When: Noon Sunday
Where: Exactech Arena at Stephen O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.
This story was originally published January 27, 2022 at 8:01 PM.
