Yahoo Movies No. 1 USC women’s basketball cruises to home victory against Memphis. What we learned
The South Carolina women’s basketball team heads into final exam week with a perfect record..
No. 1 USC (8-0) defeated the Memphis Tigers 79-54 at Colonial Life Arena in the team’s only Saturday game of the regular season.
Memphis took an early 5-0 lead before Zia Cooke opened the scoring for South Carolina. The Tigers picked up five fouls within the first three minutes and 20 seconds of the game, which put the Gamecocks in the bonus early on.
South Carolina was able to take advantage of the height mismatch by going inside. Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso — the stars of Tuesday win against UCLA — shot a combined 9-for-9 in the first half.
Sania Feagin was 2-for-3 from the floor in that frame as well.
Memphis lost to No. 5 Indiana earlier in the week but kept Saturday’s game competitive in spurts but could not control things after the first quarter.
Boston notched her 66th career double-double — and sixth this season — with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
South Carolina’s next game is Dec. 11, when the team plays Liberty.
KAMILLA CARDOSO SHINES AGAIN
Cardoso followed up her impressive outing against UCLA with another dominant performance against Memphis.
She scored 12 of her 18 points in the first quarter, and added 10 rebounds to her stat line as well.
Cardoso adds to South Carolina’s post depth with her 6-foot-7 frame and ability to rebound. The Gamecocks looked to exploit the height advantage often against the Tigers, and Cardoso delivered.
Cardoso entered the game third in scoring and second in rebounding for USC.
GUARD ROTATION
South Carolina took advantage of a big lead against Memphis and experimented with its guard rotation.
Kierra Fletcher got her sixth start of the season, but Raven Johnson and Talaysia Cooper got their share of first-half minutes as well.
Laeticia Amihere continues to be an option to bring the ball up the court, and she was on the floor with both Fletcher and Cooper at one point.
Fletcher’s been the front-runner at the point guard position, though Johnson leads the team in assists.
Fletcher brings experience to the backcourt as a four-year starter at Georgia Tech. She’s shown an increased comfort level on the court since the season opener, when she was battling her away back from a foot injury.
NO NEED FOR THE 3
After shooting 1-for-14 from 3-point range against UCLA, South Carolina only attempted six shots from long range against Memphis.
The team came into the game shooting 28.4% from outside.
Bree Hall knocked down the Gamecocks’ first 3-pointer of the game with 6:15 left in the fourth quarter.
The last time South Carolina went a whole game without making a 3-pointer was in the 2020 SEC Championship game against Mississippi State. The Gamecocks were 0-8 in that game and won by 14.
Next four USC WBB games
Dec. 11: home vs. Liberty, 2 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Dec. 15: neutral vs. South Dakota State, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Dec. 18: home vs. Charleston Southern, 2 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
Dec 21: home vs. Coastal Carolina, noon (SEC Network Plus)
