Kamilla Cardoso picked up right where she left off.

After scoring 16 on Tuesday against UCLA -- including 14 in the second half -- she followed that up by dropping a dozen points in the first quarter and 18 total on Memphis. The first quarter total was the highest single quarter total for any South Carolina player this season, and her game total set her new high-water mark as a Gamecock.

All of it helped the No. 1 Gamecocks breeze past the Tigers 79-54 at Colonial Life Arena to remain perfect on the season heading into a week off.

South Carolina (8-0) came out of the blocks slowly with another shooting funk, one which allowed the visitors to control the early portions of play. Memphis (4-4) led for just over five minutes in the first quarter and had an 11-10 advantage Cardoso checked in for the first time at the initial media timeout 5:10 into procedings.

And from there, the outcome was never in doubt.

The Brazillian forward immedietely took over down low, finishing off one easy opportunity near the basket after another against an overmatched interior defense. Cardoso scored all of her points in the paint, and as a team South Carolina scored 60 points in the paint including 38 of 43 in the first half.

"I think it's just, it's time" Dawn Staley said post-game. "I think all of us, probably including Kamilla were just tired. She's a dominant player and we're tired of her being less than dominant. We told her about it and she's responded."

A 13-0 run across a stretch of three minutes and 23 seconds late in the first quarter gave South Carolina plenty of separation it maintained for the remainer of the afternoon, but it did not completely pull away as it has in other home games against mid-majors this season due to more of the same struggles.

After going 1-of-14 from 3-point range against UCLA, South Carolina nearly went the entire game without knocking one down. The first made 3-pointer of the game came with just over six minutes remaining when Bree Hall finally broke the drought from the corner triple. In total though it was another frustrating shooting performance with an 9-of-28 (35.7 percent) clip on all jump shots.

"I think it was just a product of what they gave us," Staley said on the lack of 3-point attempts. "They played us more man-to-man and closer to us, so we didn't really have to jack 'em up. I don't think we were just open, and I thought we took what they gave us. We forced it down their throats. Our advantage was in the paint, and that was an emphasis."

Aliyah Boston picked up her 66th career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in another vintage performance, often playing together with Cardoso in Staley's big lineup. This is a combination that has been part of South Carolina's most efficient grouping all year, and the two continue to feed off each other.

"I think for us to be able to work together I've been trying to make sure that I can make that high-low pass," Boston said. "That's something that we've worked on practice, making sure that we get her the ball, but also getting her the ball in a way that she should easily score in. That's definitely been my goal."

Sania Feagin and Laeticia Amihere were the other Gamecocks to crack double-digits with 11 and 10 points respectively. Destyne Jackson and Jamirah Shutes led Memphis in scoring with 10 points apiece.

South Carolina will have a full week off now before it puts its perfect record back on the line next Sunday at home against the Liberty Flames.