No. 1 South Carolina wins defensive battle against No. 22 Tennessee

It was a defensive battle at Colonial Life Arena Sunday, but the No.1 South Carolina Gamecocks had enough offensive tricks up their sleeve to overpower No. 22 Tennessee. The Gamecocks won 69-48 to improve to 21-1 on the year and 9-0 in the SEC.

Tamari Key came in averaging 2.9 blocks for Tennessee (17-5, 7-2) and she was active on the interior early with four blocks in the first quarter alone. She finished with nine before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Mikiah Herbert Harrigan started the game off aggressive despite Key’s presence and scored USC’s first two baskets. The Gamecocks continued to attack and overcame a 4-14 shooting start to score 20 points in the paint in the first half.

South Carolina set the tone defensively in the first half with six steals and seven blocks of their own including two from guards Tyasha Harris and Brea Beal.

Tennessee’s Rennia Davis came in to the contest leading the team in scoring with 22.5 points a game. She scored 18 on Sunday.

In the second quarter Tennessee went to a 2-3 zone on defense and the Gamecocks adjusted, moving the ball and knocking down open jumpers. Aliyah Boston knocked one down in the corner, then two possessions later Zia Cooke hit a corner three to put the Gamecocks up 34-15. USC would go into the halftime break with a 38-23 lead.

The Lady Vols started the second half with a 6-0 run to cut the Gamecocks’ lead to nine. Herbert Harrigan spilt a pair of freethrows to push the lead back to 10.

With about 2:30 left in the third quarter, Boston limped off the court and went straight back to the locker room and did not return to the game.

The Gamecocks were able to get the Lady Vols in foul trouble in the second half and took advantage of trips to the freethrow line, finishing 11-of-16. A few threes pushed the lead to 20 and USC would coast from there.

Cooke finished with 20 points to lead all scorers while Destanni Henderson scored 12 off the bench for USC. Boston was the final double-digit scorer with 10.

Both teams finished with 10 blocks. USC had a total of 11 steals while Tennessee had just one.

The Gamecocks turn their attention to Arkansas on the road on Thursday.