South Carolina women's basketball: Zia Cooke's season-high paces the Gamecocks

South Carolina Women’s Basketball: News • Recruiting • Schedule • Roster • Stats • SEC • Polls • Scholarships

Zia Cooke scored a season-high 20 points and South Carolina got a strong effort from the bench in an 88-39 win over Liberty.

With both teams coming off exam break, there were occasional bouts of rust that sometimes felt exacerbated by too many foul calls. 

South Carolina led just 23-13 after the first quarter, and Dawn Staley was frustrated enough with how the starters played to do a line change midway through the stanza. The reserves provided a spark, even if the effectiveness was sporadic.

“It made us chuckle,” Aliyah Boston said. “Like, ‘Not you doing us like this. We didn’t even do anything.’”

Subscribe to Gamecock Central until the 2023 football season for only $10!

Staley called the results mixed, but she liked the overall energy and effort the bench unit brought.

“We’ve been working that unit all week, trying to get them to be a pressing unit,” Staley said. “It wasn’t pretty but I wanted to see what they looked like in a game situation.”

The Gamecocks started to find their rhythm in the second quarter, although five turnovers and 3-7 shooting from the foul line limited their effectiveness. 

Cooke scored a pair of baskets to start the second half, sparking a 19-1 run that put Liberty away. She scored 10 of her 20 points in the third quarter, while Boston and Kamilla Cardoso provided the inside counter with a combined nine points.

Become a “FAM” Member and support South Carolina women’s basketball players

Cooke also scored 20 points three times last season and has not eclipsed 20 since she scored 25 against Stanford in the 2021 Final Four. She also dished out three assists.

“Zia is playing great. I’m happy for her. She got shots to fall. She’s efficient with it,” Staley said. “I’m hoping she’ll link up the days. She’s a senior. She knows what’s going on.”

South Carolina’s bench outscored Liberty 44-1. Sania Feagin had 14 points, one shy of her career-high, and tied her career-high with seven rebounds and three blocks. She got banged up a little in the first half, and was frustrated by some questionable foul calls, but Feagin showed progress toward becoming the player Staley thinks she can be.

“She doesn’t like me very much all the time. She’s super talented. I spend time on people who I believe have a shot of doing great things,” Staley said. “She’s super talented – SUPER. She’s probably the most talented post player we have, Aliyah included.”

Bree Hall added eight points, Ashlyn Watkins had six, Talaysia Cooper had five, and Raven Johnson and Cardoso each had four points. 

After a slow start, South Carolina played its trademark defense for the last three quarters. Liberty shot 45.5% in the first quarter and then just 22.7% the rest of the game. Liberty was 0-12 from three, turned the ball over 19 times, and was outrebounded 47-31, including 25 second-chance points on 21 offensive rebounds. South Carolina was plus-30 in points in the paint. 

Gamecock Central Bowl Pick ‘em Contest with cool prizes

“They flexed their muscle and showed why they’re number one in the country,” Liberty coach Carey Green said. “They’re extremely aggressive and impactful on the boards and that was the deciding factor.”

Boston finished with 13 points but had just six rebounds as she only played 22 minutes. Cardoso stole several rebounds away from Boston and finished with a team-high nine boards. 

BOX SCORE

Notes:

Sunday was Aliyah Boston’s 21st birthday. After the game, Staley grabbed the arena PA mic and asked fans to sing “Happy Birthday” for Boston. “Did you like that birthday? We can do that next year if you come back,” Staley reminded Boston after the game. … Cooper added two rebounds and two assists to her five points. … Mya Berkman led Liberty with 17 points and 10 rebounds. … Aliyah Boston braids report: Boston still had purple braids with eclectic blue tips. … Dawn Staley fit report: She no longer has to wear a free Brittney Griner shirt, so Staley wore a cream-colored hoodie with paint splatters and the customary “We Are BG” pin. … Announced attendance was 11, 787. … South Carolina’s next game is against South Dakota State on Thursday. It is a neutral site game in Sioux Falls.

Discuss South Carolina women’s basketball on The Insiders Forum!