No. 2 South Carolina secures win over Missouri in SEC opener. Here’s what we learned
No. 2 South Carolina largely controlled its SEC opener against Missouri, overcoming a few early challenges en route to a dominant 83-49 road win Thursday night.
The Gamecocks women’s basketball team has now won eight games in a row following a Nov. 24 loss at No. 1 UCLA, which snapped a 43-game winning streak.
As expected from a SEC matchup, Thursday’s game began as a back-and-forth affair. Missouri matched South Carolina’s intensity in the first quarter before forward Ashlyn Watkins spearheaded a 15-5 run to close the period.
Missouri (11-5, 0-1 SEC) responded with a 8-0 run in the second quarter, briefly threatening to close the gap. But the Gamecocks quickly answered with a 9-0 run of their own, regaining control and taking a 36-26 lead into halftime.
The Gamecocks emerged from the locker room with more efficient play, shooting 61.5% in the third period and outscoring Missouri 23-11. A 16-3 run midway through the third frame extended USC’s lead to a comfortable 59-37 margin heading into the final quarter. Missouri missed 16 of its final 20 shots.
Every available Gamecock who saw playing time contributed to the scoring effort, led by guard MiLaysia Fulwiley’s 17 points. Guard Te-Hina Paopao and Watkins each added 11 points, while guard Tessa Johnson chipped in 10.
After a 31-point win, South Carolina (13-1, 1-0 SEC) continues its conference road trip with a visit to Mississippi State on Sunday.
Here are three more observations from No. 2 USC’s victory:
Bench energizes the offense
South Carolina struggled to find offensive rhythm early, turning the ball over four times in the opening minutes, leading to seven points for Missouri.
That shifted when USC head coach Dawn Staley put her second unit in the game at the midpoint of the first quarter, which gave the Gamecocks much-needed energy and defensive intensity in the latter half of the quarter.
USC forced four turnovers across a three-minute span in route to a 11-0 run to take a 17-8 lead. The Gamecocks, who entered leading the country in bench scoring, won the overall bench battle 57-16 (+41).
Roller coaster second quarter
The second quarter proved to be a test of resilience for South Carolina. The Gamecocks struggled offensively, missing seven of their first eight shots and committing four turnovers. Missouri took full advantage, chipping away at the lead.
Three Grace Slaughter layups and an Ashton Judd score brought the Tigers within two points, threatening to erase South Carolina’s earlier advantage. Despite the offensive struggles, the Gamecocks’ defense stiffened down the stretch of the quarter, preventing Missouri from taking the lead.
Paopao’s 3-point spark
Paopao provided a much-needed spark from beyond the arc for South Carolina. While the rest of the team struggled from 3-point range, shooting just 1-of-5, Paopao went 3-of-6. Her first 3-pointer of the game set the tone early by opening the scoring for the Gamecocks.
Next four games
- Sunday: at Mississippi State, 2 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Jan. 9: vs Texas A&M, 5 p.m. (ESPN2)
- Jan. 12: vs No. 5 Texas, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
- Jan. 16: at No. 19 Alabama, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
This story was originally published January 2, 2025 at 9:27 PM.
