Second-ranked South Carolina absorbed some punishment early before counter-punching its way past SEC foe Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., 95-68, Sunday. The Bulldogs fired out of the gate and built a double-digit lead before the Gamecocks answered with a monstrous 32-3 run that swung the momentum in their favor for good.
Tessa Johnson (8-11 FG, 4-6 3-pointers) was key to the turnaround, scoring 14 of her 22 points in the second quarter. Chloe Kitts posted a double-double, scoring 17 and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds.
USC (13-1, 2-0) was nearly flawless after halftime, shooting 60% from the field and 93% from the foul line after the break. Raven Johnson (five steals) led the defensive attack and helped the Gamecocks force 20 Bulldogs’ turnovers.
South Carolina will look for its tenth straight win when it plays host to Texas A&M at 5 p.m., Thursday.