South Carolina wore down Mizzou for an easy 83-52 win. Here’s what stood out to me from the game.

– South Carolina got out of sync offensively during Missouri’s 8-0 run in the second quarter. More than a defensive stop, the Gamecocks needed a solid offensive possession. 

I thought, this is where they miss Kamilla Cardoso or Aliyah Boston, that dominant post who can settle things down and get a good shot. Who can do that this season?

My question was quickly answered: Joyce Edwards. She was fouled on a rebound, made both free throws, found Tessa Johnson for a transition layup, converted a three-point play in the post, and then scored on a putback. The 9-0 run put South Carolina back in control of the game at halftime.

Edwards isn’t super flashy, but she rebounds, defends, runs the floor, and finishes at the rim. Sometimes that is what you need.

– On the other end of the spectrum is MiLaysia Fulwiley. Somehow she even makes jogging back on defense look flashy. I often say “Fulwiley happens” when she catches fire and scores three or four baskets in a row. Well Fulwiley definitely happened Thursday night. 

She has shot well this season and at times has let that frustration carry over to her defense. Not against Missouri. She did miss a couple of early shots, but never got down. It ended up being her defense that helped Fulwiley catch fire. It was a rebound, an assist, and then a block that sparked South Carolina’s decisive 17-0 second-half run. Once the fuse was lit, Fulwiley added in a bench of baskets and finished with a game-high 17. 

[USC-Texas WBB: Win tickets, parking pass]

It was a nice start to conference play and hopefully a sign of how the next three months and a week will play out.

– I’ve watched a lot of basketball over the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen what happened in the third quarter. Mizzou’s Laniah Randle was called for a foul, Knowing it was her fourth and she would be subbed out, she jogged over to the bench.

But nobody went to the scorer’s table to check in, so the officials didn’t stop play. With a five-on-four power play, South Carolina quickly inbounded to Te-Hina Paopao who was unguarded for a three.

Randall had to run back and rejoin the action. She ended up committing her fifth foul on the ensuing possession.

If you watch a lot of women’s basketball, it won’t surprise you that Roy Gulbeyan was one of the officials. He loves to call games by the letter of the rule instead of the spirit.

But it also reflects both teams’ level of focus. A substitution after a foul is such a routine occurrence that nobody pays much attention to the actual mechanics of the process. Missouri wasn’t locked in and lost track of the situation. South Carolina understood what was happening and took advantage. 

If I’m going to criticize South Carolina when there is a lack of focus, I need to praise them when they are locked in.

Police in Missouri say a driver was caught speeding at more than 100 mph and playing video games while behind the wheel.

According to the Claycomo Police Department, the driver was pulled over on Interstate 35 in Clay County, Missouri. The county encompasses parts of northwestern Kansas City.

Authorities did not release the name or age of the man involved, but did say the driver was going at a speed of 107 mph. Police said he also had a suspended license.

“The driver was playing a video game, yes, a video game while driving 107mph…. On a suspended license. Apparently, he was so distracted he didn’t see our motor officer in the lane ahead of him,” police said on Facebook.

Police said charges are pending for the unidentified driver with a court date also pending.

USA TODAY has contacted the Claycomo Police Department for more information.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

The Missouri Tigers ended the 2024 season on a positive note, earning a victory in the Music City Bowl over Iowa, 27-24. While the on-field results were excellent this season, Eli Drinkwitz and his staff also found success on the recruiting trail, landing the No. 19 ranked class in the nation through the early signing period.

One of the Tigers’ 2025 signees, 4-Star wide receiver Donovan Olugbode, is set to participate in the annual Under Armour All-American Game on Thursday, January 2nd and showcase his talent against some of the nation’s best on national television.

The full team rosters can be found here.

Originally from Napierville, Illinois, Olugbode transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida for his senior season. He is ranked as a 4-star on all four major recruiting services, and composite ranked No. 89 in the country, No. 13 of all receivers and No. 12 of all players in Florida.

Standing at 6-foot-2, 210 lbs., Olugbode is a bigger bodied target with a wide catch radius and the ability to push defenders around as a blocker. He only suited up in five games in his senior year, but still managed to haul in 20 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns.

The game can be seen on ESPN at 3:00 p.m. CT or can be streamed on the ESPN app.

Music City Bowl Ends One Era of Mizzou Football, Welcomes Another

Eli Drinkwitz Reflects on the Legacy Brady Cook Leaves at Mizzou

Mizzou Basketball Gets Back on Track, Wins Final Non-Conference Game