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WBB: South Carolina holds off Kentucky

On3 imageby:Chris Wellbaum•02/10/22•

ChrisWellbaum

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Saniya Rivers defends Rhyne Howard/Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

South Carolina put on another defensive clinic, shutting down Kentucky for a 59-50 win.

Through three quarters South Carolina held Kentucky to 26 points on 30.6% shooting. The defense was so good that it didn’t matter that the offense was sputtering. South Carolina still had an 18-point lead early in the fourth quarter and there was no indication Kentucky would mount a challenge. 

Dawn Staley went to the second unit, and then midway through the quarter, still up 14, sat her starters, including defensive stalwarts Aliyah Boston, Victoria Saxton, and Brea Beal. Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard, who had been a non-factor for the first three quarters, was suddenly getting open. She scored 16 of her 21 points in the fourth quarter and with 1:30 to play she cut South Carolina’s lead to just seven with a three-point play. 

Staley had to put the starters back in the game and the closed out the game, but not without some nervousness. The Gamecocks were just 10-25 from the foul line, allowing the Wildcats to stay close by fouling.

South Carolina was without its top two reserves, Laeticia Amihere and Kamilla Cardoso, who are playing for the Canadian and Brazilian World Cup Qualifying teams. Their absence was felt in the second and fourth quarters.

WBB Analysis: Kentucky

In the second quarter the Gamecocks went seven minutes without scoring. Kentucky was able to trim a 16-point deficit to seven. And then there was the near collapse in the fourth quarter, when Kentucky scored 24 points, nearly matching its output from the first three quarters.

Howard was the only Wildcat in double figures. Boston notched her 16th consecutive double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. She added two blocks and two assists. Zia Cooke had ten points, all in the second half. Saxton had eight points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks, as the Gamecocks outrebounded the Wildcats 46-31.

At halftime the second NCAA Top 16 reveal was announced. As with the first reveal, South Carolina is the top overall seed in the Greensboro region. South Carolina is joined by Indiana, Baylor, and Oregon. Stanford, NC State, and Louisville are the other one seeds. Tennessee and LSU are 12 and 13, respectively, the only other SEC teams in the top 16.

Notes:

South Carolina wore their polarizing garnet pinstriped uniforms for the second time this season. … Freshman Sania Feagin was the first player off the bench, but she only played about 90 seconds before going back to the bench. Feagin finished with two points and a rebound. … LeLe Grissett got most of the minutes at backup power forward, and finished with seven points and three rebounds. … Bree hall was extremely active in the first half, scoring all six of her points. … Saniya RIvers did a lot of good (three assists including a half-court pass to Eniya Russell for a layup) and a lot of bad (1-6 on free throws and 0-4 shooting with four fouls). … Announced attendance was 4,317. … South Carolina’s next game is Sunday at Georgia.

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