South Carolina women's basketball dominates the paint to beat Memphis

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South Carolina occasionally looked uninspired Saturday afternoon, but took care of a tricky Memphis team 79-54.

Memphis scored first and took a 5-0 lead as South Carolina missed three layups to start the game. South Carolina surprisingly did not take a lead until 14-12 and did not take the lead for good until 30 seconds later.

But the Gamecocks went on a 13-0 run over the final 3:20 of the first quarter to take the lead for good. The Tigers got back within single digits a few minutes into the second quarter, but then Laeticia Amihere scored three consecutive transition layups as part of an 8-0 run that put the Gamecocks back in control of the game. 

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South Carolina did almost all of its work in the paint, throwing lobs to Kamilla Cardoso and Aliyah Boston, or scoring off offensive rebounds, and with a handful of dribble drives, both on fast breaks and in the halfcourt, thrown in for good measure.

The Gamecocks outscored the Tigers 60-14 in the paint, outrebounded them 52-30, blocked eight shots, and had a 15-8 advantage in second-chance points. They shot 44% (and 28-44 on layups) while holding the Tigers to 32% (only 3-13 on layups). 

“I think we fought hard,” Katrina Merriweather said. “You have to throw everything and the kitchen sink at Aliyah Boston, and then you have Cardoso the same way that comes in.”

Cardoso and Boston each recorded double-doubles. Boston had 14 points, ten rebounds, and two assists for her sixth double-double in eight games. Cardoso had 18 points, ten rebounds, and two blocks. The 18 points are a new Gamecock career-high, passing the 16 she had Tuesday night against UCLA. 

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“Us being able to work together, I’ve been trying to make sure I can make that high-low pass,” Boston said. “I just think, throw it in again. Let’s just do it, get the assists up. It’s so good to see her shooting the ball. Coach has continued to talk to her about being that dominant Kamilla every time she steps on the floor.”

It was Cardoso’s second double-double in the last three games, and she is averaging 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks during the stretch. 

“I think it is just (that) it’s time. All of us, probably including Kamilla, were just tired. She’s a dominant player and we’re tired of her being less than dominant,” Staley said. “We told her about it and she’s responded. We really didn’t have that kind of conversation before.”

“She’s responded and I’m proud of her,” Staley added.

South Carolina also got a significant contribution from another big, Sania Feagin. Feagin scored a career-high 11 points to go with four rebounds. She was active early with a couple of layups in the second quarter, and then she was able to pad out her stats in the fourth quarter.

South Carolina was just 1-6 from three. Bree Hall had the only make, and then Olivia Thompson missed a pair in the fourth quarter. Hall, who scored eight points, is now 5-10 from three on the season.

“It was a product of what they gave us,” Staley said. “We didn’t have to jack them up.”

Memphis got 10 points from Jamirah Shutes and Destyne Jackson. But South Carolina held Madison Griggs, who came in averaging 13.4 points, had just six points, and only shot 2-4 from three, half her season average.

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Notes:

Everyone except Raven Johnson and Thompson scored for the Gamecocks. … At one point in the first quarter, Memphis was called for four fouls in four seconds of game time. … Amihere scored 10 points to go with three blocks and two steals. She almost had the Gamecocks’ second dunk of the season, but bobbled the ball slightly at the rim and had to settle for a layup. … South Carolina was plus-one in turnovers, but plus-14 in points off turnovers. … Zia Cooke was aggressive early and scored six points in the first five minutes. But she picked up her second foul a minute later and sat the rest of the first half and never regained her rhythm. … Aliyah Boston braids report: purple with electric blue tips. … Dawn Staley fit report: a purple hoodie that said “Phree BG.” … Announced attendance was 11,943. … South Carolina is off the next week for exams. The Gamecocks’ next game is December 11 against Liberty.

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