The No. 6 South Carolina women's basketball team won over the Ole Miss Rebels 75-59 on Thursday night at The Pavilion.
The win was powered by a career-high scoring performance from senior forward Sania Feagin and a historic triple-double from junior forward Chloe Kitts.
Kitts triple double was the first for the Gamecocks since Aliyah Boston in Jan. 21.
South Carolina struck first after forcing a turnover, with Feagin knocking down a jumper off an assist from senior guard Te-Hina Paopao. Ole Miss responded with a layup from fifth-year guard Tameiya Sadler to tie the game at 2-2.
The Gamecocks followed the opening tie up with a 6-0 run, with Kitts and junior guard Raven Johnson pushing the lead to 8-2. Junior forward Kharyssa Richardson gave Ole Miss a boost with a 3-pointer in transition, but South Carolina quickly answered with a deep shot from Paopao to bring the lead to 11-5.
Despite a late push from Ole Miss, including back-to-back made shots from freshman guard Sira Thienou, South Carolina maintained control as the first quarter came to a close, leading 19-14.
Ole Miss opened the second period 9-0 run after forcing multiple turnovers and scoring in transition, highlighted by Thienou’s back-to-back layups that pushed them ahead 23-19. South Carolina responded with a second-chance layup and free throw from Feagin, narrowing the gap to one point.
Both teams went back and forth in the later parts of the first half, as neither team gathered a large lead. Sophomore guard Malaysia Fulwiley and freshman guard Maddy McDaniel each got in the scoring column to take a 37-33 lead entering halftime. Feagin led the way for the Gamecocks, leading all scorers with 16 points and five rebounds at the half.
Turnovers plagued both teams in the middle of the third quarter, with Ole Miss and South Carolina exchanging possession multiple times without capitalizing on scoring opportunities. South Carolina pulled away with key buckets from Raven Johnson and freshman forward Joyce Edwards, extending their lead to double digits at 48-38.
Ole Miss fought back with a 3-pointer from graduate student guard Kirsten Deans and a layup by Thienou, but South Carolina maintained control with second-chance points and clutch free throws. The period ended with junior forward Christeen Iwuala scoring on a putback layup, cutting South Carolina's lead to 55-47 heading into the final period.
South Carolina set the tone early in the fourth period with aggressive defense, forcing multiple turnovers that led to fast-break layups from senior guard Bree Hall and Feagin, extending its lead once again to the double digits at 61-49. Ole Miss struggled with efficiency, missing key jumpers and committing costly turnovers, including back-to-back giveaways by Thienou that allowed South Carolina to capitalize with transition baskets.
The Gamecocks maintained control with timely substitutions and free-throw shooting, as Edwards knocked down crucial foul shots to keep Ole Miss from gaining momentum. The game ended with the Gamecocks in firm control, sealing the win with the final score 75-59.
Defensive Prowess
The Gamecocks' defense effectively stifled the Rebels' offense, limiting their scoring opportunities and forcing turnovers. South Carolina and Ole Miss both turned the ball over 15 times, as the Gamecocks had 10 steals compared to six from the Rebels.
The Rebels shot just 37.3 percent from the field while only shooting 4-12 from behind the arc. The Ole Miss starting five couldn't handle the South Carolina defense, as the Rebels bench outscored its one starting unit.
"They outscored us from the bench perspective, and that doesn't happen very often ... but Coach Yo(lette McPhee-McCuin) used all of her players today," South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said.
Balanced Scoring Attack
South Carolina showcased a well-rounded offense with multiple players contributing significantly to the scoreboard, making it challenging for Ole Miss to focus their defensive efforts on a single player. Nine Gamecocks found the score sheet, while the team shot 45.3 percent from the field.
Kitts made history becoming the first South Carolina player since former forward Aliyah Boston in 2021 to record a triple-double. Kitts finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Feagin reached a career-high 22 points, shot 10 of 13 in the paint, and went two for three in free throws on the night. Staley said Feagin had a lot of opportunistic plays that led to her great night.
"Feagin did a great job of just being at the right place at the right time with offensive rebounds," Staley said. "We dumped it off to her a few times, and she just made layups."
Dominance in Rebounding
The Gamecocks controlled the boards, securing crucial rebounds on both ends of the court, which limited Ole Miss's second-chance points and provided South Carolina with additional offensive opportunities. South Carolina secured 41 total rebounds and 15 second-chance points to Ole Miss's 36 rebounds and nine second-chance points.
Staley said the rebounding battle helped the Gamecocks control the runs as the game reached its later stages.
"You don't know what momentum you're going to have and I think we struck first. And when we did, we found a way," Staley said. "It's a game of runs and we were fortunate to have ours at crucial times."
What's next?
The Gamecocks (26-3, 14-1 SEC) will return to Columbia, South Carolina to face the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats (22-5, 10-4 SEC) on Sunday, March 2. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena and the game will air live on ESPN.