South Carolina women's basketball holds off late Tennessee rally for a 70-63 win

Joyce Edwards had 18 points and no. 2 South Carolina held off a frantic fourth-quarter rally by no. 18 Tennessee 70-63.

Tennessee dominated the beginning and end of the game, but South Carolina controlled the middle 30 minutes. That was enough to build a lead too big for Tennessee to overcome.

South Carolina missed eight of its first ten shots and trailed 14-5 with 2:48 left in the first quarter. That’s when the proverbial light bulb came on. 

South Carolina scored the next eight points, behind freshmen Edwards and Maddy McDaniel. It continued into the second quarter. MiLaysia Fulwiley buried back-to-back threes as part of a 14-0 run, and South Carolina outscored Tennessee 26-6 over a 10-minute span. 

“It took some adjusting,” Dawn Staley said. I thought we played too fast and missed some easy shots that we normally make. I thought that halfway through the second quarter we found some easy ways to score once we beat the press. It was just a build up and then that build up was torn down in the fourth quarter.”

South Carolina led 61-39 early in the fourth, but then Tennessee chipped away at the lead. The Lady Vols slowly went on a 24-8 run to pull within six, but it was too slow. There were only 14 seconds left by that point, and Tennessee had to foul to prolong the game and Raven Johnson made a free throw to secure the win.

“Bad shots. Bad shots and bad decisions,” Staley said. “That can be our nemesis at times. It was today. Fatigue, that’s part of it as well. Their pressure. It was a combination of things.”

After the first few minutes, South Carolina figured out how to handle Tennessee’s press, and how to score in the half-court. On the other hand, Tennessee had no idea how to score against the suffocating South Carolina defense.

Tennessee shot just 30.7% for the game and 3-26 from three. The Lady Vols were able to force 17 Gamecock turnovers, but only scored 14 points off of them, the same number the Gamecocks got off of 13 Lady Vol turnovers.

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South Carolina held Tennessee to season-lows for points, three-pointers made, and field goal percentage, and tied a season-low with eight assists. It’s the fourth time in five games that South Carolina has held a top-four offense to its lowest output of the season.

“We defend,” Staley said. “We knew they were going to come in take a lot of shots, a lot of threes, a lot of quick shots. It’s making sure you contest them.”

Whenever things got tight for South Carolina, the Gamecocks went to Edwards. She scored 18 points, including two clutch fourth-quarter baskets to protect the dwindling lead. It’s the ninth time Edwards has led the Gamecocks in scoring, and the fourth straight game.

“Joyce plays the right way,” Staley said. “Joyce makes good basketball decisions. That’s why you see her flourish. She plays within her capability. I’m not surprised.”

“I’ve been playing basketball a long time,” Edwards said. “I didn’t necessarily feel any pressure. (Staley) knows I stay calm and composed, so I just went out there and executed.”

Edwards was one of five Gamecocks in double-figures. Fulwiley had 11 points, and Chloe Kitts, Te-Hina Paopao, and Raven Johnson each had 10.

Ruby Whitehorn had 12 points to lead Tennessee. Former Gamecock Talaysia Cooper had 11 points, all in the first half, and only shot 5-21.

Notes:

South Carolina has won 55 consecutive SEC games. … The seven-point margin of victory ended South Carolina’s streak of 14 consecutive wins by double figures. … In the second quarter, Cooper made a three in front of the South Carolina bench and turned and gave Dawn Staley the “3” sign. … South Carolina wore its garnet uniforms for the second time this season. South Carolina also wore them against Missouri. … Tennessee left Kitts open for three on back-to-back possessions in the second half. The first time she passed. The second time she nailed it. Kitts is now 2-7 from three this season. … Dawn Staley’s outfit: Staley wore a black cardigan over a white throwback Philadelphia Eagles shirt. … Announced attendance was 12,033. … South Carolina is off Thursday. The next game is Sunday against Auburn. 

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