The No. 6 South Carolina women's basketball team (24-3, 12-1) got back in the win column against the Arkansas Razorbacks (9-19, 2-11) 95-55 at Colonial Life Arena on Thursday night, bouncing back from its loss to UConn on Feb. 16.
The Gamecocks got off to a quick start with a three-pointer from senior guard Bree Hall to open the scoring. After another three from junior guard Raven Johnson, junior forward Chloe Kitts and senior forward Sania Feagin contributed with baskets to maintain South Carolina's lead. Despite shooting only 37.5% from the field, the Gamecocks finished the first quarter leading 18–9.
South Carolina's offense settled into a rhythm in the second quarter and the Razorbacks couldn't keep up. Sophomore guard MiLaysia Fulwiley led the charge with a night of highlight reels, with maybe the most impressive being an alley-top layup off a pass from freshman guard Maddy McDaniel to light up the crowd, giving the Gamecocks a 44-28 lead at the half.
Arkansas head coach Mike Neighbors was impressed with the impact Fulwiley brought to South Carolina all while not being in the starting lineup.
"It must be nice bringing her off the bench," Neighbors said. "It was just a spark, and I know she excels in that role."
The Gamecocks dominated in the third quarter, extending its lead to 30 points. Freshman forward Joyce Edwards continued to be a solid presence throughout the game anchoring the team, scoring 11 points and five rebounds in the third quarter alone.
In the fourth quarter, South Carolina's bench made contributions in significant minutes en route to the 40-point win. Sophomore guard Tessa Johnson finished with 10 points after making two three-pointers, and junior forward Maryam Dauda scored 9 points, including a three-pointer, while playing against her former team.
A deep bench makes the difference
With 51 of their 95 points, South Carolina's reserves gave the team a significant lift. Off the bench, Fulwiley spearheaded the attack, while Johnson and Dauda also played significant roles. Fulwiley finished with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Edwards had another strong night, finishing with 18 points and eight rebounds on 8-14 (57.1%) from the field to lead the team in scoring. Edwards continues to lead South Carolina in scoring, averaging 13 points per game.
Defensively, Fulwiley finished with a steal and a block. When asked about her defense, Fulwiley described the pride she plays with on that end of the court.
"Yes, definitely. That's a compliment, actually," Fulwiley said. "I take pride in my defense and I'm really proud of that."
Slow start, strong finish
After a slow first quarter, the Gamecocks found their old rhythm. They finished with a 45.1% field goal percentage and 13-15 (86.7%) from the free throw line after going a perfect 8-8 in the second half.
Defensively, South Carolina converted 22 points off of 15 forced turnovers by Arkansas. Additionally, the Gamecocks outscored the Razorbacks 57-34 in the rebounding contest, reducing second-chance opportunities for the Razorbacks.
South Carolina particularly disrupted the play of Arkansas guard Izzy Higginbottom, who finished with 10 points on 3-17 shooting. Higginbottom is fifth in the nation in scoring, averaging 24.1 points per game.
"She was a target on our scouting report," Staley said. "We wanted to disrupt and not give her great looks, just try to make her work for everything."
Getting back on track
After dropping two of its last three games to No. 2 Texas on the road and No. 5 UConn at home, the Gamecocks found a way to get back in the win column in dominant fashion.
"Bounce back game," Edwards said. "We knew we had to come in and execute....remind the world who South Carolina is, and that's what we did."
Staley talked about how this win can a be a way for her team to get back on track after suffering its recent losses.
"We don't like to lose, obviously, and we don't like to lose the way we've lost the three games," Staley said. "There is a certain focus to just get back to our habits. and hopefully we can continue that as the regular season draws to a close. We have some games where we need to play well in order to win."
What’s next?
The Gamecocks (24-3, 12-1 SEC) travel to Nashville, Tennessee to face Vanderbilt (19-8, 6-7 SEC) on Sunday. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. ET, with the game airing on SEC Network+.