#1 South Carolina shuts down South Dakota State

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#1 South Carolina overcame poor shooting early in the game to pull away from South Dakota State for a 78-38 win.

South Carolina dominated the last five minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half to take control of an otherwise tightly contested game. South Carolina outscored South Dakota State 15-4 in the second quarter to take a 36-22 halftime lead. 

• BOX SCORE: South Carolina-South Dakota State

The Gamecocks started the third on a 19-4 run to go up 55-26 and turn the game into a blowout. They finished the game on a 16-0 run, holding the Jackrabbits scoreless over the final 8:04.

The Jackrabbits’ swarming, collapsing defense frustrated the Gamecocks a season ago. The Gamecocks improved their shooting in the offseason, but two of their top shooters, Te-Hina Paopao and Tessa Johnson, missed the game with ankle injuries.

That left South Carolina with just nine available players and two guards. South Dakota State packed in the defense against Kamilla Cardoso, determined not to let the game become a “track meet.” South Carolina was content to launch – and miss – threes.

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“Getting back, getting set early, was so important for us, and not giving up those over-the-top layups,” Aaron Johnston said. “When you do that, they have to miss some shots. If they come out and bang in some of those threes right away it could be a different game quickly, so we were a little bit lucky there.”

The Gamecocks were 0-5 from three in the first quarter and shot just 8-28 overall. They did not hit their first jump shot until Chloe Kitts hit a 15-footer with 5:33 left in the second quarter. At that point, the Gamecocks were 9-15 on layups and 1-20 on jump shots. 

“It seems like a gerbil wheel,” Dawn Staley said. “You’re spinning the wheel and nothing is happening.” 

South Carolina finished the game 0-12 from three. They were 0-5 in the first quarter and 0-9 at halftime. MiLaysia Fulwiley, in her first career start, was 0-4.

“It took us a little while to get going,” Staley said. “As much as we prepped, they’re not going to guard us. People bit the bullet and want to shoot ill-advised shots and early shots. (We had) an ‘I think I can, I think I can attitude’ and the goal got small on us.”

Kamilla Cardoso had her third double-double of the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds. She shot 8-12 from the floor and 7-8 from the line, and even when the Jackrabbits tried to swarm her they couldn’t counter Cardoso’s height advantage.

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One game after dishing out a career-high 17 assists, Raven Johnson scored a career-high 18 points. She also had six assists and five steals. She scored ten of her points during the 34-8 run, converting turnovers into baskets.

“I’m trying to rely more on my defense to score,” Johnson said. “I think it helps the others on my team. When I get a steal, they want to get a steal.”

Fulwiley joined Cardoso and Johnson in double figures with 11, but she was 5-16 from the floor. Brooklyn Meyer had 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead South Dakota State. 

Notes:

Tessa Johnson and Te-Hina Paopao are both considered day-to-day. … Earlier Monday South Carolina became the unanimous number 1 team in the AP Poll. … South Carolina finished the game on a 16-0 run. … Sakima Walker was the only available Gamecock who did not score. … Chloe Kitts had five points and nine rebounds. … Ashlyn Watkins had eight points, five rebounds, four steals, three blocks, and three assists. She was limited to 18 minutes because of early foul trouble. … South Carolina finished the game shooting 43%. South Dakota State shot 27% and was 2-13 from three. … The Gamecocks were 10-18 from the foul line. The Jackrabbits were 2-4. … Dawn Staley’s outfit: black Gucci hoodie and white Gucci sneakers. … Announced attendance was 14,799. … South Carolina’s next game is Friday against Mississippi Valley State.

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