SOUTH CAROLINA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
South Carolina suffered its first loss of the season, falling 71-57 to #17 Indiana in the first game of the Paradise Jam.
From the start, the signs that South Carolina was ripe for an upset were evident. Aliyah Boston, playing in her hometown, was pressing. South Carolina, perhaps looking past Indiana to Baylor, seemed less focused than the Hoosiers. Indiana couldn’t miss early. And the officiating was consistently inconsistent, allowing Indiana to hack South Carolina’s post players and then calling two or three quick touch fouls.
Indiana entered the game shooting just 29 percent from three, but it went 4-5 in the first quarter and reached its season average of six threes by halftime. Meanwhile, South Carolina sputtered on offense. Boston was dominant when she played, but she seemed like she was trying to do too much in front of her home crowd, and picked up two quick fouls. With Boston out, South Carolina continued to attack the rim, but wasn’t rewarded with free throws - it didn’t get its first attempts until 17 seconds left in the first half and, before two late whistled, was called for twice as many fouls. And, partly because Indiana was able to hack away on layups, South Carolina’s transition offense was non-existent. It had just two points off nine Indiana turnovers after being dominant all season.
Indiana led 38-31 at halftime, and in her halftime interview, Dawn Staley angrily said she didn’t want to get fined and “I plead the fifth” when asked about the first half. Her anger was rewarded in the third quarter. The Hoosiers were called for three fouls on one possession early on and the Gamecocks got their transition game going. They got six points off turnovers during a 13-4 run that opened the quarter and saw the Gamecocks take a 44-42 lead.
But the undersized Hoosiers attacked Boston, drawing her away from the basket on pick and rolls. She picked up her third foul 45 seconds into the third quarter, and her fourth on a pick and roll outside the three-point line.
South Carolina held Indiana to just 2-12 shooting in the third and led 51-47 going into the fourth, but cracks were showing. South Carolina was just 4-10 from the free throw line, allowing Indiana to stay close. Joining Boston in foul trouble were Tyasha Harris, Victaria Saxton, and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, and despite getting some good looks from three, nothing was falling.
Indiana opened the fourth quarter on a 12-3 run to retake the lead, as South Carolina lost its composure. Already out of sorts due to foul trouble, South Carolina lost its coach on the floor when Harris fouled out on an offensive foul. Boston fouled out soon after, reaching in for a rebound, and that essentially ended South Carolina’s hopes as Indiana pulled away.
South Carolina’s offense was terrible in the fourth quarter, shooting just 2-13 and settling for long jumpers. It finished just 2-19 from three, with both makes coming in the first quarter. For the game South Carolina shot 37 percent while Indiana shot 50 percent. Herbert Harrigan led South Carolina with 13 points and eight rebounds, and Boston had 10 points in just 14 minutes. Zia Cooke had 10 points and four rebounds, but suffered through a bad shooting night. She was just 4-19 despite getting layups and open looks.
South Carolina will look to rebound against Washington State on Friday night and then comes the big game against Baylor on Saturday.
