The post How South Carolina women’s basketball earned ‘Real SC’ title with a brand new core appeared first on ClutchPoints.
South Carolina women’s basketball claimed the “Real SC” title Saturday night in Los Angeles, defeating eighth-ranked Southern California 69–52 at Crypto.com Arena and moving to 4–0 on the season. But the result carried a deeper significance for a Gamecocks team returning just one starter from last year’s national runner-up roster.
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Chants of “USC” echoed through the arena, but they were directed for South Carolina, 2,403 miles from home, as the Gamecocks used a decisive third quarter to take control. Freshman Joyce Edwards led with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while guards Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson added 14 points each.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said the game reflected a group still forming its identity.
“We have seven players who have to play a different role for us than what they had with their previous school or even with us. It’s hard,” Staley said, as reported by Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “We’re used to having a core group of players that have played together for a long time. This year, Raven is basically the lone person that has been part of that regime. … I thought we put a (good) game plan together.”
Johnson, the only returning starter from last season’s NCAA title-game run, recorded 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting with 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. With Te-Hina Paopao, Bree Hall, Sania Feagin and MiLaysia Fulwiley unavailable and Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts out for the year with injuries, Johnson has assumed a veteran role anchoring the backcourt.
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Edwards powered a 23–15 third-quarter surge that broke open a two-point halftime lead, while Tessa Johnson added two 3-pointers in the period. USC missed five of its first seven shots after the break and committed three turnovers. The Trojans were held to seven points in the fourth quarter, finishing 1-for-14 from beyond the arc and getting outrebounded 56–32. Madina Okot pulled down a season-high 15 rebounds for South Carolina.
The programs will meet again next November in South Carolina. The Gamecocks host Winthrop on Wednesday, while USC faces Portland on Tuesday.
Reporting by Beth Harris of the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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