The Official Website of the Southeastern Conference
The Official Website of the Southeastern Conference
Robert A. Mott Athletics Center - San Luis Obispo, CA

No. 1 South Carolina rolls past Cal Poly

196 days ago
Associated Press
Photo: South Carolina Athletics

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Aliyah Boston had her fourth double-double of the season as top-ranked South Carolina rolled to a 79-36 victory over Cal Poly Tuesday night.

Boston, the reigning AP Player of the Year, had 12 points and 10 rebounds for her 64th career double-double, which is the most among active NCAA players in all divisions.

The Gamecocks (5-0), coming off a 76-71 overtime victory at second-ranked Stanford Sunday, led throughout. Laeticia Amihere was the leading scorer off the bench with 13 points, Zia Cooke added 11 and Ashlyn Watkins had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Annika Shah led Cal Poly with eight points, all in the fourth quarter.

The Mustangs were 8 of 55 from the field before making four of their last five.

South Carolina, which was 39 of 63 from the field, scored the first 14 points and made six of its first nine shots before Natalia Ackerman's layup with 31 seconds remaining got Cal Poly on the scoreboard.

The Mustangs played well in the second quarter and closed the first half with a 7-2 run to trail 33-17 at halftime. But the Gamecocks began the third quarter with a 15-4 run that included five points from Cooke and four by Boston.

South Carolina had an 8-minute stretch in the third and fourth quarters where it scored 24 straight points.

Notables

• The Gamecocks ripped off a 12-0 run to start first quarter.

• Tied season opponent low in a quarter (2, last vs ETSU), ties for second lowest in program history.

• Kierra Fletcher posts new season high of 8 points • 26 points in the paint first half (79%)

• Block Party: Brea Beal, 4 (career high); Ashlyn Watkins, 3 (career high)

• Seeing Double: Aliyah Boston records 64th career double-double (12 pts, 10 rec); Ashlyn Watkins tallies first in career (10 pts, 11 reb)

• Outscored Mustangs 23-5 in 3Q.

• Five Gamecocks ended in double digits: Laeticia Amihere, 13 (season high); Boston, 12; Zia Cooke, 11; Victoria Saxton, 10 (season high) ; Ashlyn Watkins, 10

• Finished game with 58 points in the paint (73%)

In an early-season Top 10 showdown that more than lived up to its billing, No. 10 Creighton held off No. 9 Arkansas, 90-87, in a semifinal thriller in the Maui Invitational.

Creighton needed a barrage of made free throws down the stretch to turn back the Razorbacks, who pulled to within one on a 3-pointer by Anthony Black with four seconds left

Black led the Hogs with 26 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals. Teammate Ricky Council IV added 24 for Arkansas, and Trevon Brazile chipped in with 17.

It was the first loss of the young season for the Razorbacks, who fell to 4-1. Creighton remained undefeated, improving to 6-0.

Check back later for the full recap.