No. 1 South Carolina tops fifth-ranked UConn in women’s college basketball – The Boston Globe

HARTFORD, Conn. — In a rematch of final season’s nationwide championship recreation, South Carolina got here out on prime once more over UConn because of a powerful fourth quarter by Aliyah Boston.

Boston scored 23 of her 26 factors within the second half, together with 14 within the last interval, to assist the No. 1 Gamecocks beat the fifth-ranked Huskies, 81-77, on Sunday in entrance of a sellout crowd.

“Aliyah is simply relentless, she performs relentlessly though she had a subpar (first half) so far as statistics, she impacted the sport,” South Carolina coach Daybreak Staley stated. “She doesn’t get flustered. she knew she didn’t play as much as her requirements. What does she do? Increase her customary. Dangerous first half or not she’s going to proceed to play.”

Whereas there wasn’t as a lot on the road because the title recreation final April, there was a excessive depth to it, together with UConn coach Geno Auriemma spiking a water bottle onto the court docket late within the fourth quarter after getting annoyed by the officiating.

“I believed there have been a whole lot of issues being missed. It was tough for a few of our guys to maneuver out on the ground,” Auriemma stated. “I didn’t assume it was one key play, I simply couldn’t maintain quiet any longer. It was dangerous. … Dumb mistake by me. Dangerous determination.”

The Gamecocks (23-0) have gained 29 consecutive video games since dropping to Kentucky within the SEC Event title recreation final yr. They’ve gained 4 of the previous 5 conferences with the Huskies, together with a victory within the NCAA championship recreation final season. That ended UConn’s good 11-0 report in title video games.

“This was a nationwide championship-like recreation. I wished us to really feel what it takes to do that,” Staley stated.

South Carolina used its dimension once more to prime the Huskies. The 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso and Boston, the reigning AP Participant of the 12 months, helped the Gamecocks have a 42-30 benefit on the boards, together with grabbing 25 offensive rebounds.

Boston completed with 11 rebounds for the 76th double-double of her profession. Cardoso added 17 factors and 11 rebounds earlier than fouling out.

Together with her crew main by 4 within the fourth quarter, Boston took over. She scored the following 12 factors for South Carolina, two of these got here when Auriemma tossed the water onto the court docket and was charged with the technical foul.

Boston hit the 2 free throws. She then hit a jumper, a 3-pointer and one other basket to present the Gamecocks a double-digit benefit.

“I’m sort of in assault mode. Within the second half I made extra photographs then I did within the first half,” Boston stated.

Regardless of seeing their beginning backcourt foul out, the short-handed Huskies (21-3) wouldn’t go away. They whittled the lead right down to 80-77 with 10.8 seconds left on Aubrey Griffin’s three-point play.

Raven Johnson hit the primary of two free throws a second later and UConn couldn’t convert to shut out the sport

“They’ve rather a lot to be ok with as soon as they get previous what it feels wish to lose,” Auriemma stated. “I really feel higher at 3 o’clock as we speak then I did at 12 o’clock. I didn’t know the way we’d reply. I knew we’d play onerous and compete like hell. I didn’t know who was going to make a giant play, who was going to get a giant rebound, make a giant shot. I do know now greater than I did at midday and I really feel higher about my crew.”

Aaliyah Edwards led UConn with 25 factors.

UConn acquired off to a stable begin, outscoring South Carolina 25-14 within the opening interval. Lou Lopez Senechal capped the robust begin, hitting a operating 3-pointer simply earlier than the buzzer.

South Carolina asserted its dimension within the second quarter with Cardoso scoring 11 factors within the interval. Her putback with just below 10 seconds left tied the sport at 34 heading into the half.