COLUMBIA — After leading by 14, South Carolina women’s basketball found itself walking into the locker room with just a six-point lead over Alabama in its SEC opener on Jan. 1.
Two minutes into the third quarter, sophomore forward Joyce Edwards leaped and intercepted a pass, then took the ball full court, crossed over then Euro stepped into a layup. It was a quick 7-0 run, forcing Alabama to call timeout.
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The No. 3 Gamecocks (14-1) outscored the No. 24 Crimson Tide (14-1) 43-23 in the second half in an 83-57 win. The lopsided difference in Alabama’s offensive success wasn’t a result of any advanced adjustments.
“Coach said we had to play defense and we played defense,” Edwards said. “It’s that simple.”
Edwards finished with 25 points, the eighth time she’s reached that mark this season. She scored 15 in the second half, including 11 in the third quarter. She had four rebounds, two steals, one block and an assist.
“Engaged, like all five players,” coach Dawn Staley said when assessing the difference between her team’s defense in the first and second half. “I thought Joyce did a much better job just forcing them to catch outside of where they wanted to catch, just getting deflections, her rotating over when we had to switch, it was a lot more activity.”
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Alabama finished 37% from the field, after shooting 45% in the first two quarters then only 27.6% in the second half. South Carolina forced seven turnovers then nine more after the 8-0 run from the Crimson Tide to close the second quarter.
In the midst of an 14-3 run late in the third quarter, South Carolina starting center Madina Okot was called for the foul after she hit the ground, getting tangled with an Alabama player. The play was reviewed but confirmed, upsetting the packed house in Colonial Life Arena.
The next play, “defense” chants got louder and louder, echoing through the arena as the Crimson Tide had no success, with South Carolina forcing a shot clock violation.
“We know we can put some points on the scoreboard but preventing other people from putting points on the scoreboard, just creating momentum,” Staley said. “Momentum is a crazy thing in our league, if you don’t have it you’re susceptible to losing.”
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Alabama is South Carolina’s home-and-home this season, with the Gamecocks heading to Tuscaloosa on Feb. 19. Staley is now 24-0 in the series. In the one game last season, they won 76-58 on the road with help from Edwards, who scored 11 in the final quarter.
“They’re good, they’re better than what the score says,” Staley said. “It’s a team we have to play again down there, and it’s always a close game. So I’m thinking when they came back, par for the course is what they do, this is what they do to us.”
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: What Dawn Staley said South Carolina changed to pull away vs Alabama
