The No. 5 South Carolina women's basketball team put up dominant displays against No. 15 Iowa State and Purdue at the Fort Myers Tip-Off, resulting in two wins over the week of Thanksgiving.
The 2024 Fort Myers Tipoff is a college basketball tournament that takes place at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers, Florida.
The early-season tournament provided an opportunity for the Gamecocks to rebound from an early-season defeat to No. 1 UCLA, which snapped the program's longest win streak of 43 games on Nov. 24.
Game one versus Iowa State
South Carolina entered its first game of the tournament against Iowa State eager to put the disappointment of that loss behind itself and make a strong statement in its opening game, head coach Dawn Staley said.
A dominant scoring run early in the game, which ultimately helped the team pick up a 76-36 win on Nov. 28, did exactly that.
Junior guard Mackenzie Hare gave the Cyclones a lead just after the one-minute mark with a made 3-pointer. But that shot would result in the only points Iowa State scored until there were four minutes remaining in the second quarter, as the Gamecocks went on a 32-0 run that stretched across multiple quarters.
Iowa State's first points of the second quarter came on a free throw by Hare and a layup by sophomore forward Lilly Taulelei, but South Carolina’s defense remained rock-solid, forcing multiple turnovers and limiting Iowa State’s scoring opportunities. As the period drew to a close, freshman forward Joyce Edwards capped it off with a free throw, sealing the Gamecocks’ 35-9 lead, which emphasized the team's dominance on both ends of the court.
The third period saw South Carolina manage its lineup, making frequent substitutions while maintaining a firm grip on the game. Although Iowa State’s sophomore center Audi Crooks and senior guard Emily Ryan managed to find some rhythm, South Carolina’s defense continued to disrupt the team's momentum.
Sophomore guards Tessa Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley were instrumental in forcing turnovers and controlling rebounds, limiting Iowa State’s scoring opportunities and allowing South Carolina to maintain control. Fulwiley, with a 3-point play after being fouled on a jumper, under a minute left sealed the deal, kept the Gamecocks' lead at 26 points after a third quarter in which both teams scored 18.
South Carolina's dominant defense carried over into the fourth quarter, where it held Iowa State to just nine points, while the team scored 23 on the other end of the floor to finish the game with a 40-point advantage.
Game two versus Purdue
With its confidence and momentum boosted by its previous win, South Carolina went on to carry its strong form into its second match of the tournament, which resulted in a 99-51 victory over Purdue.
The Gamecocks set the tone for another dominant performance early in the first half of the game. After winning the opening tipoff, junior forward Chloe Kitts scored a second-chance tip-in layup just 30 seconds into the game, which helped South Carolina establish an early lead.
The Gamecocks’ stifling defense forced Purdue into several turnovers, which they capitalized on with fast-break points, including a driving layup by freshman guard Maddy McDaniel in the final minute of the period. Although Purdue’s fifth-year guards Ella Collier and Destini Lombard managed to keep the game competitive with a pair of three-pointers, South Carolina’s balanced scoring and ability to capitalize on second-chance opportunities allowed them to take a commanding 23-12 lead by the end of the first period.
The Gamecocks' then outscored Purdue 30-4 in the second quarter, with Fulwiley leading the charge on offense — scoring efficiently with a jumper and a layup off turnovers and later adding free throws to extend the lead. While South Carolina continued forcing turnovers and capitalizing on fast breaks, senior forward Sania Feagin and junior forward Ashlyn Watkins controlled the offensive glass, securing second-chance points with put-backs near the rim.
South Carolina carried a 35-point lead into the second half, and it would continue building on its advantage as the game went on. The Gamecocks had a 25-13 scoring advantage in the third quarter and a 21-20 in the fourth, resulting in the team's second highest single-game scoring total of the regular season.
Dominant performance
South Carolina made a strong statement at the 2024 Fort Myers Tip-Off, showcasing its dominance on the court with two impressive victories. In the team's opening game against Iowa State, the Gamecocks maintained control from the opening whistle, racing to a 19-3 lead in the first period and never looking back in pushing their offense to be the dominant force during both games.
Over the eight quarters South Carolina played in the tournament, it outscored its opponent by double-digit points in six of them. Three of these quarters came against the Cyclones, while the other three came against the Boilermakers.
Feagin said the two victories, which stemmed from positive all-around play, helped restore some normalcy to the team after it saw its undefeated run come to a close before the tournament.
"We felt like ourselves," Feagin said. "We just go out there and do what we have to do — play defense first, and the offense will come."
Redemption and bounce-back
The Gamecocks headed into the Fort Myers Tipoff having lost its first regular season game since the 2021-22 season. South Carolina set the tone early against a ranked Iowa State — one of three top-25 teams it has already faced this year — and picked up two resounding victories by the end of the weekend.
"We just needed to put a complete game together," Staley said. "Obviously, there were some lapses in the UCLA game that weren't characteristic of us, so we wanted to make sure that we played very similarly with our rotations and how we would guard their big (Crooks)."
The Gamecocks specifically saw strong contributions from both Watkins and Johnson, who scored 13 points each during the game. While Thursday marked Johnson's third game this year with 13 points or more, it served as a season-high scoring performance for Watkins .
Team depth and dynamic
South Carolina's success at the 2024 Fort Myers Tipoff was a testament to its depth, which has been one of the program's strong suits in years past. Throughout the tournament, the Gamecocks showcased a balanced attack, with multiple players making significant contributions to their victories.
From the dominant play of the team's starters to the spark provided by its bench players, the team’s cohesion and chemistry were on full display. This depth was especially on display in the team's win over Purdue, where seven different players — including five players from the team's bench — scored 10 points or more.
What's next?
The Gamecocks will return to Columbia to face off against No. 13 Duke (7-1) in an SEC/ACC Challenge matchup at Colonial Life Arena on Dec. 5. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.