No. 1 Gamecocks throttle No. 12 Tar Heels in Charlotte border battle
· Yahoo Sports
Nov. 8—CHARLOTTE — That it's coming against rugged competition was by design. Coach Dawn Staley needed to test her new faces early in the season, and if nobody but other Top 25 teams were willing to accept the invitation, well, South Carolina's rookies were going to have to play them sometime.
Sunday's 84-39 win over No. 12 North Carolina? Not top marks.
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But much better than simply scraping by.
The No. 1 Gamecocks shortened their bench in the first half, by design as they didn't have the massive lead they obtained in the first half of their first game (a win over Maryland in Paris), and could afford to give everybody a look. Relying mostly on her veterans on Sunday, Staley saw them set a rhythm and stick to a defense that threw the Tar Heels (0-2) off-kilter from the near start.
USC owned the glass and swarmed UNC's versatile offensive players, not allowing many second chances and ever-mindful of the Heels' newest star. Kate Harpring reported to Chapel Hill as one of the country's most coveted prospects; she ended 3-of-16 for eight points.
Jordan Lee started on Harpring (blocking her first shot), and Oliviyah Edwards made her season debut as Staley dropped into a zone to limit the Heels' superior height. The opening sock in the mouth had the Heels (0-2) stunned and wiping blood for the duration.
With the defense in place, USC began the third quarter transforming turnovers into points and pounding away at the Heels' ragged interior. Joyce Edwards buried a layup (created by Lee recovering a turnover and feeding her on the break) and then an 18-footer off another UNC turnover; Chloe Kitts then went to work with her patented inside game.
The two starting forwards combined for 32 points. Tessa Johnson and Lee joined for 21, while Agot Makeer, the fifth starter, had nine. USC controlled the game start to finish and won easily, turning 24 Tar Heel turnovers into 38 points.
So why not an A-plus?
The bench scored 22 points, 10 from Jerzy Robinson, and most of that was because Staley went with all subs in the final five minutes. It's only been two games, but the Gamecocks' lack of a true point guard glares, as the offense has no flow and its best play is almost always the fast break.
Johnson is doing a fine job of beginning the game at point, and Robinson is right behind her. But the point guard USC felt it needed to have and imported for the role, Brooke Quarles-Daniels, if she needs more time to get ready, she surely isn't getting it during games. She has 10 minutes all season.
Lucky 13
Kaeli Wynn, as she most likely won't all season, did not dress. She was joined in the out list by Alicia Tournebize, who had her left foot in a walking boot.
Next game
The Gamecocks tip off at Clemson at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
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