Second Half Fury Helps Gamecocks Pull Away From Wildcats
For a good while in the first half, it appeared that South Carolina's attempt to exact revenge on Wildcats for last season's SEC Tournament title defeat wasn't going to come easy, as both teams traded blows and subsequently long scoring runs.
In the second half, however, the Wildcats could not stop or even slow down the Gamecocks, as South Carolina doubled Kentucky's offensive output in the final twenty minutes to make the game look like it was never in doubt.
In the first quarter, very little defense took place as South Carolina allowed Wildcat guard Jada Walker to drive to the basket at will, as four of Kentucky's first six makes came courtesy of Walker baskets near the rim.
On the other end, the Gamecocks took early advantage of the Wildcat's lack of a true center in the lineup, getting the ball to Aliyah Boston consistently, which she subsequently converted into six first-quarter baskets.
Things got dicey for the defending national champions starting late in the first quarter, as for an 8-minute and 52-second stretch that carried into the final media timeout in the first half, the Gamecocks only made two baskets and turned over the ball eight times.
At the same time, the Wildcats shot 50 percent from the floor to create an 8-point cushion. A 17-2 scoring run by the Gamecocks late in the first half gave them both a much-needed confidence boost and a four-point advantage heading into the break.
In the second half, the Gamecocks made their offensive game plan clear, continuing to attack the paint. A whopping seventeen of South Carolina's nineteen makes in the final twenty minutes came in the paint, as the Gamecocks consistently pushed the pace and didn't allow the Wildcats to get into a set defense, which caused Kentucky to be caught on their heels on several occasions.
Defensively, the Gamecocks still allowed Kentucky to get their fair share of jumpers, which catalyzed Wildcat Maddie Scherr's 25-point outing. Still, South Carolina locked down the paint area, evidenced by their 11 blocks, and made Kentucky earn their points away from the basket.
Despite another slow start on the road, the Gamecocks managed to sort through their in-game issues, something championship teams find ways to accomplish when needed. They'll be back at the Colonial Life Arena on Sunday when they take on the Missouri Tigers, the only other team to defeat Carolina last season.
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