The No. 1 South Carolina women’s basketball team entered hostile territory with an 81-56 road victory over No. 17 Maryland on Friday night.
Both teams brought physicality to the defensive side of the ball early in the game. He was the only player to score in double figures at halftime, and it was hard to pull off the easy look.
USC’s height advantage was clear, with the Gamecocks rebounding Maryland 30-19 at halftime and 55-32 in the game.
“Rebounding is what we do,” head coach Dawn Staley said. I know.”
USC outscored Maryland 49–30 in the second half to take a 6-point lead at the half before clinching a 25-point win.
Zia Cook led the Gamecocks with 18 points. Aaliyah Boston was right behind her with a double-double (16 points and 13 rebounds).
“It took an extra pass, an extra ball movement to make sure we crashed the board,” said Boston. “I think we could have used that to our advantage tonight.”
Abby Myers looked good throughout the game for Maryland, finishing with 21 points.
South Carolina forced 13 turnovers and never trailed. The win marked Staley’s 100th victory at USC against ranked opponents.
Physicality of both ends
Both teams’ defensive intensity kept the score low in the first half. Neither team shot below his 38% from the floor in the first half.
South Carolina occasionally picked up offensive fouls against Maryland’s defense, but was able to overwhelm the Terrapins for its size for much of the game.
Going into the third quarter, things got volatile after two players committed technical fouls after a brief on-court skirmish. South Carolina responded well to it, quickly gaining eight unanswered points.
“I thought it was just that the players were all pulling together, being patient and just a little more focused,” Staley said.
The Gamecocks attempted 16 free throws by the end of the game.
height advantage
Gamecocks towered over Terrapins for most of the game.
The team sought out Boston and Camila Cardoso frequently for shots closer to the rim.
Boston and Cardoso combined for 29 points on 13-of-15 shooting.
At one point, USC put Boston, Cardoso, Victoria Saxton, and Leticia Amihele on the court at the same time. Each of these players is at least 6 feet 2 inches and Cardoso he is 6 to 7 inches tall.
GAMECOCKS PASSED EARLY TESTS
South Carolina’s victory over No. 17 Maryland proved its credibility as the nation’s top team.
The Gamecocks won all 14 games against ranked opponents last season, and this season they have a one-shot victory against top 25 opponents.
Last season, USC defeated Maryland in a close match. They led in double digits for most of the second half on Friday. When the score was not tied, USC led the rest of the game with 38:17.
Four players scored in double figures in South Carolina and the team scored 34 points off the bench.
The next ranked opponent the team faces is No. 2 Stanford on November 20th. That match is in progress.
“It’s good for us to play against teams at the same level or higher because it helps us going forward,” Cook said.
Next 4 USC WBB Games on Schedule
▪ Thursday: Clemson, 6pm (ACC Network)
▪ November 20: Stanford University, 3:00 pm (ABC)
▪ November 22nd: Karpoli, 8pm
▪ Nov 27: Home vs. Hamptons, Noon (SEC Network Plus)
This story was originally published November 11, 2022 at 8:02 PM.
Jeremiah Holloway plays South Carolina women’s basketball and soccer at The State. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, he hails from Greensboro, North Carolina and is an avid basketball fan. Holloway said he will join the state in August 2022.
