Gamecocks douse stubborn Phoenix, take 12-0 record into long break

They made it clear – South Carolina’s coaches and players aren’t going to feel bad about winning every game they’ve played. They know they’re not playing as well as they could be.

Yet they’re winning, as they did 78-63 over Elon on Tuesday. And now they have a nice long break to fine-tune any problems before Arkansas visits in the new year.

The No. 2 Gamecocks might need every minute of it.

“It’s a different team,” USC coach Dawn Staley said. “They just kind of take things in at the beginning of the game. I don’t think it’s intentional … sometimes they just need to see it a little bit during the first quarter.”

Another slow start and shoddy endings to the first three quarters had the Gamecocks playing catch-up against the Phoenix (7-3), who were frustrating USC with great defense and efficient offense. USC collapsed on the driving Essence Baucom only to see her kick out for an uncovered 3-pointer, every loose ball went to an Elon player and two first-quarter fouls on A’ja Wilson had the Gamecocks trailing.

USC didn’t seem to realize it still had Alaina Coates (four points in the first half) and any kind of rhythm was a turnover away from being disrupted. The Gamecocks began to take control, but a frantic final minute saw four Elon points, two missed USC 3-pointers and a 35-31 Gamecock halftime lead.

“I’m not too sure why we start slow. We just know we can’t do that going into SEC play,” USC’s Tiffany Mitchell said. “Some things are going to have to change.”

USC regrouped. It began finding Wilson. Mitchell kept supplying the crucial buckets that answered every Elon run. Coates owned the fourth quarter and Tina Roy, who rode the bench the first three periods, splashed three 3-pointers in the final. The Gamecocks won going away.

Their numbers were good – three in double figures, 47.6 percent shooting, they won rebounding. Elon’s numbers were too good – 44.2 percent, down only eight in rebounding and paint points despite being smaller and lighter than the opponent.

Those had USC feeling bad. Just not too bad. The Gamecocks won their 40^th straight at home and are 12-0 this year. Not perfect, but they don’t have to be – yet.

“We’re getting everybody’s best shot,” Staley said.

TURNING POINT

Tina Roy, who started USC’s first nine games but had fallen out of the lineup when her offense and defense began to tumble downhill, started the fourth period. She hit a 3-pointer 63 seconds in and nailed another one less than a minute later.

Elon was finally out of runs.

3 POINTS

Star of the game: Mitchell again took over when things looked bleak, scoring inside and out when USC’s inside game was taken away. She was all over the stat sheet.

Play of the game: Mitchell loading up for 3 and swishing it, after Elon had cut the game to four points late in the third, began the Gamecocks’ clinching sprint.

Stat of the game: USC had 15 offensive rebounds, 11 in the second half. That enabled the Gamecocks to eke ahead in second-chance points, 14-10.

FROM THE BASELINE

She’s good, remember?: The Phoenix were triple-teaming Wilson every time she got the ball early, and it resulted in two early fouls, the last a charge. Still, the Gamecocks had Alaina Coates, who had three straight double-doubles coming in.

Coates scored every time she touched the ball in the first half. She touched it twice.

Sour endings: The Gamecocks have made it a habit to start games slowly, but Tuesday was an exhibition in how not to end a period. USC’s half-court offense and defense were each shoddy at the end of each quarter, whether it was leaving a woman open for a wide-open 3-pointer or settling for a contested jump shot over throwing the ball inside.

UP NEXT

Who: South Carolina vs. Arkansas

When: 3 p.m. Jan. 3

Where: Colonial Life Arena

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ELON (7-3): Rhodes 8-17 3-5 19, Johnson 2-6 0-0 4, Baucom 3-5 2-4 8, Burnett 3-10 8-10 15, McCallie 2-3 0-0 6, Brown 3-8 0-0 7, Mbouma 0-1 0-0 0, McDonald 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 23-52 13-19 63.

SOUTH CAROLINA (12-0): Wilson 5-12 2-5 12, Dozier 3-5 0-0 7, Coates 5-6 6-6 16, Sessions 2-4 1-2 6, Mitchell 7-15 1-1 18, Colley 1-4 0-0 2, Cuevas 1-4 0-0 2, Duckett 1-1 0-0 2, Roy 3-3 0-0 9, Imovbioh 1-2 0-0 2, White 1-7 0-0 2. Totals 30-63 10-14 78.

3-Point Goals_Elon 4-13 (McCallie 2-3, Brown 1-4, Burnett 1-5, Johnson 0-1), South Carolina 8-19 (Roy 3-3, Mitchell 3-6, Sessions 1-2, Dozier 1-3, Colley 0-2, Cuevas 0-3). Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_Elon 26 (Burnett 7), South Carolina 34 (Coates, Wilson 8). Assists_Elon 14 (Burnett 8), South Carolina 14 (Sessions 4). Total Fouls_Elon 17, South Carolina 17. A_13,670.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 8:47 PM.