USC tramples Kentucky
Gamecocks stay unbeaten, clinch SEC regular-season title
Six players scored in double figures and South Carolina women’s basketball reached the 100-point mark for the sixth time this season as it beat Kentucky 103-55 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
The win Sunday gave the No. 1 Gamecocks (27-0, 14-0) the SEC regular-season title outright after they clinched a share of it Thursday against Alabama.
“This team really surprises me every day, every time we play a game,” coach Dawn Staley said. “They have something about them, a competitiveness in them, that they don’t want to lose. They find ways to win no matter how teams are approaching us.”
Junior guard Bree Hall led the Gamecocks with 18 points, freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley added 17 and junior forward Sania Feagin set career highs with 16 points and five blocks.
“On both sides of the basketball, (Feagin) was as influential as she is in practice,” Staley said. “Sometimes, a player can practice extremely well, and they don’t really see the fruits of their labor in games. She’s one that’s been doing it in practice and we’ve yet to see her display it all in a game. She did that today.”
South Carolina led wire-to-wire and dominated in nearly every statistical category. It had a 32-10 advantage in points off turnovers, totaled 17 fastbreak points and blocked 10 shots.
The offense started much quicker than it did in Thursday’s game against Alabama. It jumped to a 7-0 start and expanded the lead to 17 before the quarter ended, shooting 62% — a vast improvement over its 28% first-quarter shooting against Alabama.
“We want to play our best basketball as we enter into the end of the season and into postseason,” Staley said. “This was a really good start to us bottling this up and playing this well throughout the rest of the season.”
The defense didn’t miss a step. Kentucky (11-17, 4-10) scored eight points on 24% shooting in the first quarter. The Gamecocks blocked six shots and forced seven turnovers, opening up a 25-8 lead.
By halftime, South Carolina worked its advantage to 20 points behind 11 points from Fulwiley.
South Carolina’s offensive efficiency overwhelms Kentucky
South Carolina, which has averaged 50% shooting this season, shot 64% from the field and used its efficiency to overwhelm Kentucky’s defense. The Gamecocks finished 8-for-12 from beyond the arc and made 19-of-21 free throws.
One major factor in South Carolina’s efficiency on Sunday was assists, with 30 on their 38 baskets; every player assisted on at least one shot. It was the third time this season it had 30 assists, and first in SEC play.
“We felt like something was missing from the fluidity of our offense,” Staley said. “I thought our players really concentrating on doing that, and then when they do, it’s pretty awesome, that percentage.”
South Carolina’s offense has been as effective as any in the country all season. Its field goal percentage was fifthbest in the nation entering Sunday, while its 40% 3-point shooting percentage was third-best. The only other team
Not this time. The arena was packed with thousands of fans, and the excitement level matched that of the boys competition.
“It finally gives credit to the girls who have worked very hard, just like the guys,” Woodruff coach John Harper said. “Now they have the ability to be recognized and have this moment in the spotlight. It's something they've deserved for maybe four or five years. It just took us a little time as a state to get there.”
Welch was the first girl in South Carolina to win a boys wrestling state championship.
“It was really cool afterwards to see what that actually meant,” she said. “But when I was wrestling, it was just another match. I didn't think of it as being that big. I just wanted to win a state title. Later, I realized it was actually pretty cool what I did.”
“It was historical,” Harper said. “At the same time, we knew what we had in her. For anybody who didn't recognize her, it was a surprise. But for us, we were confident. It was an amazing thing and I think it helped spur women's wrestling in this state in the right direction.”
Welch finished fourth among the boys last season. She has won three state championships on the girls' side.
“It's definitely grown a lot since I was younger,” she said. “There was really not much out there compared to the guys.”
Welch found wrestling through jujitsu, a form of Japanese martial arts and combat.
“I needed to work on my takedowns,” she said. “In wrestling, obviously, there's plenty of takedowns. So that led me to wrestling and I ended up liking wrestling more.”