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***2021 WBB NCAAT 1st Round #1 Seed South Carolina vs #16 Seed Mercer

ConwayGamecock

ConwayGamecock

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2021 NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT - FIRST ROUND​

HemisFair Regional, San Antonio, TX​

#1 Seed SOUTH CAROLINA vs #16 Seed MERCER​



NCAA TOURNAMENT
#1 SOUTH CAROLINA (22-4) VS. #16 MERCER (19-6)
SUNDAY MARCH 21, 2021 6:00 P.M.  |  SAN ANTONIO, TX  |  ALAMODOME (NORTH COURT)

HISTORY: History | WATCH: ESPN | LISTEN: 107.5 The Game | LISTEN ONLINE STREAM: 107.5 The Game | Live Stats

COLUMBIA, S.C. – In their 17th NCAA Tournament appearance all-time, South Carolina (22-4) earned the No.1 seed in the Hemisfair Region and will face 16th-seeded Mercer Bears (19-6) on Sunday, March 21 at 6 p.m. with the contest set to be televised on ESPN in the event's opening round. The No. 6/5 Gamecocks will play in San Antonio in the first round, and, if they advance to the second round will take on the winner of the first-round game between No. 8 Oregon State (11-7) and No. 9 Florida State (10-8) on Tuesday, March 23. 

The Gamecocks repeated as SEC Tournament champion this season after one of the toughest schedules in the country. South Carolina's opponent winning percentage of .680 is the best in the nation and its 13 games against ranked foes are the most in the country. The Gamecocks have been ranked in the top five of the AP Poll in all but one week this season, including three weeks at No. 1.

This is the ninth-consecutive NCAA Tournament bid for the Gamecocks, the longest streak in program history. South Carolina reached the NCAA Final Four for the first time in 2015 before capturing its first NCAA Championship in 2017. The Gamecocks have played in 10 Sweet 16s in their 16 previous times in the event, reaching that round in seven of their last eight tournament appearances and advancing to the Elite Eight three times in their last five NCAA Tournaments. South Carolina owns a 30-15 record all-time in the event.

This marks the Gamecocks' fifth No. 1 seed all-time after earning the position in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. South Carolina advanced to the Final Four as a No. 1 seed in 2015 and 2017. Last season the Gamecocks were prepared to enter the tournament as the overall number #1 ranked team nationally in both the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches final polls, but the tournament was cancelled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

 
South Carolina leads Mercer 23-12 after the first Quarter of play. Reserve Laeticia Amihere got early playing time in the game, and has responded with 7 pts on 3-4 shooting, to tie for the scoring lead with Aliyah Boston. She also has 2 of the team's 4 turnovers on traveling calls, LOL. But baby steps....baby steps...

 
Mercer dominated the 2nd Period to tie the score 27-27 - the Gamecocks regressed into it's familiar funk of poor shot selections and turnovers to open the door for the Bears. But the Gamecocks wake up and fight back, going off on a 10-0 run and out-scoring Mercer 16-5 to close out the quarter, and take the 43-32 lead into the halftime break. But this is STILL supposed to be a #1 Seed versus a #16.

The starting guards of Destanni Henderson and Zia Cooke were blanked in the first half - this explains a lot. Both are a combined 0-4 from the field, so its not like they were chucking up bricks in the 1st half. Hopefully they engage a little in the 2nd half, because the team might need them.

Aliyah Boston led the way with a monster 1st half - 15 pts on 6-9 shooting, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. Victaria Saxton was also big with 12 pts on 5-5 shooting and 4 rebounds. Laeticia Amihere and Destiny Littleton came off the bench with 7 pts each...

 
Gamecocks continue to extend their lead and at one point led by 20 pts, but lead 64-47 at the end of the 3rd Qtr. The Gamecocks once had 8 turnovers in the 1st half, but only have 3 more since - they once were just 4-9 at the free throw line, but have gone 12-12 there since. So they've made good adjustments.

 
Gamecocks win 79-53 over the Mercer Bears in the First Round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The win was also Coach Dawn Staley's 500th career win as a head coach, so congrats Coach Dawn!

The Gamecocks (23-4) were led by Aliyah Boston with 20 pts on 8-13 shooting, and 18 rebounds. Victaria Saxton also scored 20 pts to tied her career high - she shot 7-10 from the field, and also had 6 rebounds. Zia Cooke rebounded from an ice cold scoring 1st half to score all 13 of her pts in the 2nd half, and added 3 boards and 3 steals. Reserve Laeticia Amihere added 11 pts on 5-11 shooting, and 8 rebounds.

Survive and advance....

 
Dawn is easily the best coach we have ever had here.

Oregon St. handled FSU and we get OSU next at 7:00 pm on Monday.

GO COCKS!!

 
If teams insist on double and triple teaming Boston we just have to keep drawing them to her and then passing to Saxton (or whoever else might be open) underneath like we did last night.  Saxton was having a monster first half and when they finally started to pay more attention to her things opened up for Boston.  I'm not a coach but I'm pretty sure if you're getting double teamed someone has to be open.

Amihere had a good game but damn she's a turnover machine.  Watch how the opponent swarms to her when she gets the ball.  The scouting report on her obviously says swarm her and she'll turn it over.

 
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