One of these evenings, when most of the loose balls go to the other team and the customary shots don’t fall, was inevitable.
The fact that South Carolina managed to prevail is evidence of its strength and depth.
The No. 1 Gamecocks defeated Tennessee 66-55 on Thursday to maintain their perfect record and solidify their position atop the SEC rankings. With five games left, USC (24-0, 11-0 SEC) leads all teams in the regular-season standings by three games, plus tiebreakers over all other teams that are in contention.
Additionally, it was USC’s 42nd consecutive SEC regular-season victory, tying Tennessee’s conference record.
The Gamecocks were more assured that they could win these types of games in which their deadly offensive was unable to find the back of the net and their nerve-wracking defense was not performing to its customary level. The Lady Vols (15-9, 8-4) played their most brilliant defense of the season, blocking USC’s routes to center Kamilla Cardoso and forwards Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins. They were badly looking for a big win to boost their turning-to-bubbles NCAA Tournament credentials.
For thirty-five minutes, it was effective because USC was unable to score from outside the area and mainly missed free throws. But Bree Hall overcame an otherwise forgettable game by making a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter to give her team an unstoppable lead, just as she did in a thrilling victory against LSU on January 25.
Following a tie game in the third quarter, USC went on a 14-5 surge in the fourth quarter. In a contest in which just four 3-pointers were made in total, both teams made good use of the backboard and thrived on the inside.
Rickea Jackson did her best to shoulder the Lady Vols with 19 points but the problem of Tennessee’s season — inconsistent offense from the rest of the Lady Vols — was evident throughout. Tennessee was filling the air with shots in the first half, but even with 14 offensive rebounds (something USC ashamedly allowed), they couldn’t make them.
Ashlyn Watkins recorded her third double-double in as many games for USC, and Kamilla Cardoso, who had to play two games away for Olympic qualifying, also recorded a double-double. Raven Johnson, a point guard, broke her previous game record of 12 rebounds with 15 on Thursday.
The top scorers were Watkins (14) and Cardoso (18). Watkins was in for the first substitution even though he did not start.
USC allowed just two offensive rebounds in the second half after allowing twelve in the first, and only committed three turnovers in the second half after committing nine in the first. Despite never being able to control its free-throw shooting (8 of 16), USC managed to avoid having it decide the game.
Pre-game video and warm-up T-shirts were two more ways the Lady Vols paid tribute to the late Nikki McCray-Penson, a Tennessee graduate and former USC assistant coach. Following a fight with breast cancer, McCray-Penson passed away last summer.
Next game
The Gamecocks host Georgia at 1 p.m. on Sunday. “College GameDay” will broadcast from Colonial Life Arena.
