With all the hype surrounding freshman A'ja Wilson’s first collegiate game, sophomore forward Alaina Coates made sure South Carolina fans didn’t forget about her.
Coates had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and her inside presence was the difference in the No. 2 Gamecock women’s basketball team’s 70-61 victory against Southern California on Saturday.
The Trojans played tough on defense all night, pushing South Carolina into 19 turnovers. Southern Cal actually had a 53-52 lead at the 6:56 mark after a steal resulted in a Mackenzie Calvert layup.
But the Gamecocks went on a 14-0 run after that, which lasted until there was 2:35 remaining to give the Gamecocks a 66-53 cushion. Junior point guard Khadijah Sessions started off the run hitting a three-pointer. Coates and senior forward Aleighsa Welch hit some big shots inside during the stretch as well.
And while Wilson’s debut was much anticipated, junior guard Tina Roy earned her minutes whenever she came in for the freshman. Roy had nine points and six assists, including a clutch three-pointer to make it 62-53 around the four-minute mark.
Roy said that even though she doesn’t start, head coach Dawn Staley preaches to her players that they must be ready when their number is called. The junior did just that and proved that she belongs on the floor with a Gamecock team that has some impressive depth.
The Trojans fought their way back to make it 66-60 with a little over a minute remaining, but junior guard Tiffany Mitchell hit four free throws to ice the contest.
Some early turnovers plagued South Carolina early in the first half and also late in the period, which left the Gamecocks with a 27-24 lead at halftime.
Mitchell had six turnovers on the night, but a lot of it had to do with her playing out of position at the beginning of the game since she was the one bringing the ball up the court.
Staley said she has been using different lineups, so her team would be prepared for different situations. She wants the younger players to adjust to the college game and get used to various positions. As she puts it, Gamecocks aren’t playing for November right now but for March and April.
Some thought it would be a game with South Carolina running the opponent out of the gym in the first half, but that wasn’t the case.
“We’re not going to blow a team out in 20 minutes, so we knew the games were going to be hard-fought, down to the wire,” said Mitchell, who also posted 18 points and four assists. “We just need to be prepared for that.”
Trojan coach Cynthia Cooper was proud of her team for keeping it closer than the experts expected, but added Coates was the one player that Southern Cal could just not overcome. It seemed Coates could do whatever she wanted in the post and only missed two out of her eight shots. Her four offensive rebounds helped the Gamecocks get second-chance opportunities.
“She’s been really dominant in practice and as much as we want that bang coming off the bench, we need her on the floor,” Staley said regarding Coates moving into the starting lineup this season.
As for Wilson, it wasn’t an ideal performance, scoring four points on 2-of-7 shooting in addition to five rebounds. She didn’t see the floor during crunch time, perhaps because Sessions and Roy had more of a hot hand.
Staley said Saturday’s game was a great lesson for Wilson that it won’t always be her night. The head coach added that she’s eager to see how her prized recruit responds Thursday night against Clemson.
“(Wilson) played like a freshman — she’s going to have ups, and she’s going to have downs,” Staley said. “Obviously, she didn’t play as well as she’s capable of playing, but she leaves room for her to grow and to understand and learn from playing at this level.”