South Carolina Dominates Texas to Secure 11th Straight Win
Texas started strong on the court, with Rori Harmon scoring the first two points to get Texas on the board in the first quarter. Texas came out with a man-to-man press coverage against South Carolina. Sania Feagin responds by dropping two-pointers on the free throw line to tie the score at 2-2. Madison Booker excelled early, making one of two free throws to push Texas to a lead of 3-2. Sania Feagin shot a two-pointer, bringing the score 4-4 in favor of South Carolina. Both teams dominated offensively, coming hard in the paint and crashing the boards hard for offensive rebounds. Te-Hina Paopao hits a three-pointer and follows up with a floater, earning a trip to the free-throw line after getting fouled. Texas had already grabbed 10 offensive rebounds. Despite this, South Carolina managed to pull ahead with a 12-point lead. MiLaysia Fulwiley, with eight points, showcased to finish strong at the rim.
Texas had its lowest-scoring first quarter of the season, ending with South Carolina leading 18-9 in the first quarter. Heading into the second quarter, Texas had 13 offensive rebounds on the board, but South Carolina extended their lead to 20-9. Rori Harmon created space to hit a jumper, adding two points for Texas. Madison Booker had three points, going one of 13 from the field, going into the second quarter. South Carolina had committed nine turnovers but maintained a 60% field goal percentage. Both teams played physical basketball, determined to come out on top. Te-Hina Paopao led South Carolina with 11 points. Sania Feagin from South Carolina showed she knows how to assist but steal as well. Texas struggled with shooting throughout the game and failed to take advantage of their offensive rebounds. Meanwhile, South Carolina was shooting 71% from the field and built a lead of 19 points.
At halftime, Te-Hina Paopao continued to play aggressively and took control as the lead shooter for the Gamecocks. Texas ended the halftime shooting a low percentage of 23%, going 10 of 44 from the field, while South Carolina went 15 of 21. In the second half, South Carolina was defensive, dominating Texas. During that span, eight to nine South Carolina players had not missed any field goals. By the third quarter, South Carolina extended their lead to 44-26. Rori Harmon and Madison Booker were Texas' main contributors. Rori Harmon had nine points, two assists, and a rebound. While Madison Booker had seven points, an assist, and seven rebounds. Aaliyah Moore struggled throughout the game, finishing just with four points, an assist, and four rebounds. South Carolina maintained man-to-man defense through these four quarters, Staley's coaching style has been working significantly for the Gamecocks.
By the fourth quarter, South Carolina held a 19-point lead, wondering if Texas could come back. Chloe Kitts contributed 11 points, three assists, and six rebounds, while Raven Johnson added eight points, 10 rebounds, and three assists. Joyce Edwards put up 10 points and grabbed four rebounds. South Carolina built their lead from the beginning and maintained it throughout the fourth quarter. Bree Hall also put up seven points, completing three of five field goal attempts. In the end, South Carolina secured a victory of 67-50. This was an intensive matchup for both teams, but once again, South Carolina has proved they are the reigning SEC Champions for a reason. With the win, South Carolina is now 4-0 in the Southern Eastern Conference. For Texas, this game did fall short for them but offered valuable lessons to learn from the Gamecocks. This was a great matchup and a reminder of the level of competition Texas will face moving forward.
