There’s quite a bit of a difference between the women’s basketball played in the Southeastern Conference and that which is played in the Big South. That contrast was on full display Saturday in Columbia as top-ranked South Carolina romped past Presbyterian College 99-29 for the Gamecocks 10th straight win to open the season.
In a matchup between teams that were picked second in their respective conference preseason polls, it was the SEC juggernaut that proved to be too much. USC hit seven 3-pointers in the first half while holding the Blue Hose (8-4) to 20 points, posting a 59-20 advantage at the break. As the score might indicate, the Gamecocks dominated every statistical category in the opening twenty minutes. Carolina shot 59% from the field, compared to PC’s 19%. The much taller Gamecocks outrebounded PC by eighteen in the first half, while blocking six shots. MiLaysia Fulwiley led three players in double figures with twelve first-half points. The freshman guard, who was back in the starting lineup, finished with a career-high-tying 18 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, four steals, and three blocks.
Things didn’t get any better following halftime for Presbyterian, which posted a 63-52 win over SC State on Friday night. That, though, may not have been the best plan of attack, as the Blue Hose appeared to run out of gas in the second half. It took the visitors from Clinton nearly seven minutes to record their first bucket of the third quarter. By then, the lead had blossomed to as much as 51 points (71-20).
PC scored just nine points in the second half, all on three-point field goals, as the Gamecocks made it nearly impossible for them to score inside. Carolina blocked a school-record-tying 17 shots in the game while boasting a 48-12 advantage with points in the paint.
South Carolina (10-0) travels to Bowling Green for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Presbyterian ventures out to Las Vegas for a two-day tournament on Thursday and Friday against Eastern Washington and Wright State.