Gamecocks dominate glass in win over Arkansas

Prime-ranked South Carolina dominated on the glass in historic vogue and beat Arkansas’ girls’s basketball workforce 92-46 on Sunday inside Colonial Life Area.

The Gamecocks held Arkansas (17-5, 4-3 SEC) to 17 rebounds, its fewest ever in an SEC recreation. South Carolina had 74 rebounds, probably the most in SEC historical past towards one other league opponent.

“They’re unimaginable to arrange for,” Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors mentioned. “You may’t discover sufficient males’s observe gamers in your campus to simulate a roster this deep, this proficient and this cohesive.”

South Carolina (20-0, 8-0 SEC) had a plus-57 rebound margin, the biggest of any girls’s Division I workforce up to now 20 seasons. The Razorbacks allowed 32 offensive rebounds and had been outscored 37-0 in second-chance factors.

“All credit score to [Gamecocks coach] Daybreak [Staley], her employees and their gamers, however that is not the workforce we have been being the final couple weeks both,” Neighbors mentioned. “We have one other gear than what we confirmed within the second, third and fourth quarters.”

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After Arkansas pulled inside 21-17 late within the first quarter, the Gamecocks went on a 25-2 run and closed the door on the Razorbacks earlier than halftime. South Carolina led by 29 on the break.

“We hit a wall that turned apparent,” Neighbors mentioned. “While you’re going up towards a workforce like South Carolina at house, enjoying actually, actually good, they simply frustrate you. You are able to do loads of proper issues after which they make you flawed on the finish of it.

“We have had a very powerful week.”

South Carolina was helped in the course of the run by its dominance on the glass coupled with senior guard Zia Cooke’s sizzling hand. She torched the Razorbacks for 19 factors within the first half en path to a game-high 24. 

“When Zia’s doing what she’s doing, we’re a completely completely different basketball workforce,” Staley mentioned. “She makes us a a lot better basketball workforce.” 

Cooke went 4 of 5 from three on the day, whereas Arkansas as a workforce shot 5 of 30 from deep.

“I used to be having enjoyable on the market,” Cooke mentioned. “I simply attempt my finest to play like that each time I step onto the ground.”

Staley’s workforce continued forcing its will in the course of the second half, successful the third quarter 24-10 and the fourth quarter 15-12. South Carolina led by as many as 48 factors and simply claimed its thirty sixth consecutive house win in entrance of an introduced crowd of 13,349.

Aliyah Boston, the Gamecocks’ star ahead and defending nationwide participant of the 12 months, secured her 73rd profession double-double with 13 factors and 14 rebounds. It moved her atop South Carolina’s file ebook in double-doubles.

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Kamilla Cardoso additionally was in double figures with 12 factors and 16 boards, almost out-rebounding the Razorbacks by herself. Samara Spencer led Arkansas with 15 factors and Erynn Barnum chipped in 11.

It was an exhausting week for the Razorbacks, who performed three video games in six days on prime of journey points. After the loss to LSU, aircraft troubles late Thursday evening triggered Neighbors’ workforce to remain in Baton Rouge, La.

His workforce didn’t depart for Fayetteville till mid-day Friday, then needed to depart Saturday for Columbia, S.C.

“It was emotionally draining,” Neighbors mentioned.

Arkansas is scheduled to host Alabama on Thursday at 6 p.m. inside Bud Walton Area.