Gamecock veterans lead blowout first-round NCAA win over Belmont
March 22, 2019
Dawn Staley wanted defensive pressure, veteran leadership and efficient offense.
She got a little bit of it all, as No. 4 seed South Carolina cruised through the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament on Friday, thrashing No. 13 seed Belmont, 74-52, in Halton Arena.
Two weeks after being upset in the SEC tournament quarterfinals by Arkansas, USC (22-9) used withering defensive pressure in the second quarter and explosive offense in the third quarter to cruise by the Bruins.
All three of the team’s captains — junior guard Tyasha Harris, senior guard Doniyah Cliney and senior forward Alexis Jennings — scored in double figures, as did the team’s leading scorer, junior guard Te’a Cooper.
Belmont (26-7) gave Staley’s team a little bit of trouble early, racing out to a 6-2 lead as the Gamecocks vigorously defended the 3-point line and allowed the Bruins to penetrate inside.
South Carolina, however, imposed its will with an 8-0 run, powered by four points from Jennings as she simply out-muscled the smaller Belmont squad inside.
Cliney added four points as well, but Belmont managed to close the gap to 16-13 at the end of the first quarter with a 3-pointer from senior guard Darby Maggard.
Into the second quarter, USC’s defensive pressure, which had been sorely lacking against Arkansas, began to impose itself. On the very first Belmont possession, the Gamecocks forced a shot clock violation. It was the first of seven turnovers the Bruins had in the quarter, including another shot clock violation, compared to just one made field goal, a 3-pointer with 3:23 left before the half.
Those three points tied for the fewest South Carolina has ever allowed in a quarter.
On offense, however, the Gamecocks couldn’t quite blow the game wide open, turning the ball over five times after not doing so once in the first quarter.
The steadiest option remained Jennings, who was simply too big and too strong for the Bruins to handle inside. She finished the half with nine points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Bianca Jackson also chipped in four points to make the lead 29-16.
After halftime, the Bruins managed to jump-start their offense a little bit with a 7-2 run. However, the Gamecock offense also began to pick up steam, making six of their first eight field goal attempts, including the team’s first 3-pointers of the day.
With 4:36 left in the quarter, Jennings was fouled while making a layup, sparking an 8-0 run that gave the Gamecocks a 21-point lead and effectively broke the game wide open. Carolina scored more points in the third quarter (31) than it did in the first half.
Senior guard Bianca Cuevas-Moore and junior forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, who have both cycled in and out of the starting lineup all year and played key minutes for Carolina, did not play in the first half. Herbert-Harrigan checked in late in the third quarter as South Carolina’s reserves began to cycle in, while Cuevas-Moore never played.
Next: South Carolina will play the winner of No. 5 Florida State-No. 12 Bucknell on Sunday in Charlotte at a time to be determined.
March 22, 2019
Dawn Staley wanted defensive pressure, veteran leadership and efficient offense.
She got a little bit of it all, as No. 4 seed South Carolina cruised through the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament on Friday, thrashing No. 13 seed Belmont, 74-52, in Halton Arena.
Two weeks after being upset in the SEC tournament quarterfinals by Arkansas, USC (22-9) used withering defensive pressure in the second quarter and explosive offense in the third quarter to cruise by the Bruins.
All three of the team’s captains — junior guard Tyasha Harris, senior guard Doniyah Cliney and senior forward Alexis Jennings — scored in double figures, as did the team’s leading scorer, junior guard Te’a Cooper.
Belmont (26-7) gave Staley’s team a little bit of trouble early, racing out to a 6-2 lead as the Gamecocks vigorously defended the 3-point line and allowed the Bruins to penetrate inside.
South Carolina, however, imposed its will with an 8-0 run, powered by four points from Jennings as she simply out-muscled the smaller Belmont squad inside.
Cliney added four points as well, but Belmont managed to close the gap to 16-13 at the end of the first quarter with a 3-pointer from senior guard Darby Maggard.
Into the second quarter, USC’s defensive pressure, which had been sorely lacking against Arkansas, began to impose itself. On the very first Belmont possession, the Gamecocks forced a shot clock violation. It was the first of seven turnovers the Bruins had in the quarter, including another shot clock violation, compared to just one made field goal, a 3-pointer with 3:23 left before the half.
Those three points tied for the fewest South Carolina has ever allowed in a quarter.
On offense, however, the Gamecocks couldn’t quite blow the game wide open, turning the ball over five times after not doing so once in the first quarter.
The steadiest option remained Jennings, who was simply too big and too strong for the Bruins to handle inside. She finished the half with nine points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Bianca Jackson also chipped in four points to make the lead 29-16.
After halftime, the Bruins managed to jump-start their offense a little bit with a 7-2 run. However, the Gamecock offense also began to pick up steam, making six of their first eight field goal attempts, including the team’s first 3-pointers of the day.
With 4:36 left in the quarter, Jennings was fouled while making a layup, sparking an 8-0 run that gave the Gamecocks a 21-point lead and effectively broke the game wide open. Carolina scored more points in the third quarter (31) than it did in the first half.
Senior guard Bianca Cuevas-Moore and junior forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, who have both cycled in and out of the starting lineup all year and played key minutes for Carolina, did not play in the first half. Herbert-Harrigan checked in late in the third quarter as South Carolina’s reserves began to cycle in, while Cuevas-Moore never played.
Next: South Carolina will play the winner of No. 5 Florida State-No. 12 Bucknell on Sunday in Charlotte at a time to be determined.