South Carolina women's basketball: Aliyah Boston leads rout of Missouri

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South Carolina ran away from Missouri for an 81-50 win, avenging its only regular-season loss from last year.

The Gamecocks led by just two after the first quarter and by seven midway through the second quarter. Then their defense and speed took over. 

South Carolina finished the first half on a 12-0 run. Three of the first four baskets came in transition, and the last two came off turnovers. South Carolina held Missouri to just 3-10 shooting in the quarter, and dominated the glass, grabbing all but one rebound in the quarter.

Slow starts have been an issue for South Carolina in road games, although Dawn Staley has emphasized that the Gamecocks always get the other team’s best shot. Returning home, that was the case with Missouri. 

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The Tigers ran their offense to perfection in the first quarter, hitting 4-8 from three and punishing the Gamecocks with cuts to the basket if they tried to jump out on shooters. Yet they trailed 19-17 at the end of the quarter.

“We were going under screens so we had to make sure we were locked in to go over,” Staley said. “We helped a little bit off (Hayley) Frank too much, and they’ll make you pay.”

From that point on South Carolina wore down Missouri with its size and depth. Aliyah Boston had her second consecutive 20-point, 10-rebound game. It was her 11th double-double of the season, and the 71st of her career, putting her one behind Sheila Foster for the school record.

When it wasn’t Boston scoring inside, it was Zia Cooke and Brea Beal slashing for layups, Kamilla Cardoso and Ashlyn Watkins crashing the glass, and Raven Johnson dropping dimes.

“They just go so deep,” said Robin Pingeton. “They’ve got great size, great length, great shot-blocking ability around the rim, and a lot of different weapons offensively.”

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Cooke finished with 16 points and Watkins had 13. Eleven of the twelve Gamecocks who played also scored. Beal had a career-high six assists, and Johnson added four.

“We all were playing really well together,” Cooke said. “Everybody’s shot was falling, so we were finding each other.

Seven Gamecocks had at least five rebounds as South Carolina finished plus-30 rebounding. South Carolina had a 29-5 advantage in second-chance points and was plus-12 in points in the paint. 

44 fouls were called in the game, with 26 of them against Missouri. South Carolina was 22-28 from the line while Missouri was 12-14. Neither team was happy with the officiating, but it hurt Missouri more. 

Leading scorer Hayley Frank picked up two early fouls and battled foul trouble the entire game. She only had nine points in 27 minutes. Four Tigers finished with four fouls and Sara-Rose Smith fouled out.

“Some tough matchups,” Pingeton said. “Going against bigger, more physical players. You’re just trying to battle.”

Lauren Hansen was the only Tiger in double figures with 14 points.

BOX SCORE

Notes:

Sania Feagin missed her third consecutive game with a lower right leg injury. She was moving around fine during warmups, suggesting she is close to returning. … Olivia Thomspon was the only available Gamecock who didn’t play. … Missouri was 2-11 from three in the last three quarters. … South Carolina had 19 assists on 27 baskets. … South Carolina was plus-four in turnovers and plus-14 in points off turnovers. … Aliyah Boston braids report: Boston continues to sport the red and green holiday braids. … Dawn Staley fit report: Staley wore a white A’ja Wilson sweatshirt with a picture of the Aces’ championship parade. … Announced attendance was a season-high 15,444. It is the second-largest crowd of the season in women’s basketball, behind only a men/women doubleheader between Oklahoma and Florida in Charlotte. … South Carolina’s next game is Thursday at Vanderbilt.

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