NCAAW: South Carolina Gamecocks makes tremendous assertion in win over LSU

After Aliyah Boston blocked an Alexis Morris fast-break layup try with 5:25 remaining and Boston’s No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks up 75-57 on Morris’ No. 3 LSU Tigers, Morris acquired up from the ground and patted Boston on the again.

Morris would end with a game-high 23 factors, however previously-unbeaten LSU would fall 88-64 to the Gamecocks, who are actually the final remaining undefeated workforce within the nation, on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon in entrance of a sold-out crowd of 18,000 at Colonial Life Area in Columbia.

The Gamecocks (25-0, 12-0 SEC) gained the most important recreation of the day of their eyes and the most important recreation of the season within the NCAAW up to now by a whopping 24 factors. Kamilla Cardoso led the way in which with 18 factors (7-of-9 from the sphere), 13 rebounds and three blocks, whereas Boston added 14, 9 and three. Brea Beal made a deep, contested three on the buzzer of the third that made issues snug for good and completed with 11 factors, seven boards and 4 assists. Zia Cooke acquired issues going for the winners and was one shy of the workforce excessive in scoring with 17 factors.

South Carolina ended Angel Reese’s 23 recreation double-double streak, holding LSU’s famous person to single digits in each class however factors, together with simply 4 rebounds. Reese had 16 factors and 4 rejections, however was 5-of-15 from the sphere.

After Boston opened the second half with an inside rating, LSU (23-1, 11-1 SEC) went on a 6-0 run to chop it to 44-38. A bit of later, a Reese layup lower it to 5 (45-40). However that’s as shut because the Tigers would get the remainder of the way in which. They lower it to seven with a Sa’Myah Smith layup on the 4:23 mark of the third earlier than South Carolina closed the body on a 13-4 run to guide 64-48 coming into the fourth.

Boston began the run with a layup, which was adopted by two Cooke free throws. A bit of later, Cardoso went on a 4-0 particular person run to make it 59-46. Beal closed the run together with her key triple, which was maybe the most important play of the sport.

Cardoso went on to attain 12 of the Gamecocks’ 24 factors within the fourth. A 5-0 particular person run by her constructed a 20-point lead at 75-55 with 6:02 to play. After her layup that made it 77-57 with 4:34 remaining, the workforce led by not less than 20 the remainder of the way in which.

South Carolina acquired the group going with an 18-2 run to open the sport. However LSU would combat again.

Morris appeared set on taking each shot for the Tigers for a stretch and she or he was single-handedly carrying them. She scored their first eight factors of the second quarter, outscoring the Gamecocks by 4 over that stretch to chop it to 28-23. LaDazhia Williams then faked a mid-range shot and completed with a layup to chop it to a few, which was the closest LSU acquired within the second. Cooke answered that with a brief financial institution make after which Cardoso dropped in a layup off an offensive rebound to make it 32-25 South Carolina.

Later within the second, Boston made a layup whereas triple-teamed and added a free throw for a 3-point play that made it 37-29. Laeticia Amihere closed the body with a layup that put the Gamecocks up 42-32 on the break.

Cooke got here out seeking to make explosive performs. Boston gained the opening tip and instantly acquired it to Cooke for a layup. Cooke later made a stupendous baseline drive for a reverse layup that made it 8-2. She additionally closed the 18-2 run by driving all the way in which up the court docket — proper via LSU’s protection — for a layup.

Beal hit a 3 and adopted with a 3-point play for a 6-0 particular person run that took the rating to 14-2 Gamecocks.

The Tigers went on a 6-0 run to chop it to 18-8 and later Morris made a 3 to chop it to 19-13. Cooke answered that with a mid-range make that made it 21-13. South Carolina led 24-15 after one.

The Gamecocks tried simply six threes and Beal (2-of-3) had each of their makes. LSU was 1-of-5 from past the arc. South Carolina overcame a poor 16-of-28 exhibiting on the stripe. The Tigers acquired to the road so much much less; they had been 11-of-15. The Gamecocks gained discipline purpose proportion 57.4 to 40, rebounds 43-25, bench factors 34-15 and assists 14-5. Cardoso accounted for almost all of the bench factors; Raven Johnson added 10 and Amihere had six.