South Carolina spent the first half of its Palmetto Series matchup getting pushed around enough to know Clemson wasn’t going to make anything easy. The Gamecocks were out of sync offensively, missing shots they usually bury and struggling to generate second chances. But once halftime hit, Dawn Staley’s team flipped the script in a hurry, leaning on defense and a huge third quarter to pull away for a 65-44 win.
Tessa Johnson led South Carolina with 13 points, while Chloe Kitts added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Gamecocks moved to 3-0.
Clemson opened with the first possession after winning the tip, but Agot Makeer immediately set the tone by forcing a steal that led to a Joyce Edwards basket. Even with that early spark, South Carolina had to grind through a choppy start. Kitts committed a turnover, the Gamecocks were hit with a three-second violation, and Clemson kept making them work for every look.
The Tigers were physical and disruptive, and for much of the opening quarter, they got exactly the kind of game they wanted. South Carolina still managed to create a little separation when Johnson knocked down a corner 3-pointer off a Makeer assist, and Jerzy Robinson added a block on the defensive end. Even so, Clemson stayed close, and the Gamecocks took a 19-14 lead after one.
"We know we get everybody's best, and we know that," Staley said. "We know people circle when we play them on their calendars."
Clemson kept hanging around in the second quarter. Kitts scored in transition, and South Carolina’s defense continued to generate stops, but the offense never really settled in. A Clemson 3-pointer tightened things up and changed the feel inside the building, while another turnover kept the Gamecocks from building momentum.
Robinson picked up her second foul and headed to the bench, which opened the door for freshman Brea Quarles-Daniels. She made her minutes count with solid defense and a drawn charge, but South Carolina still went through a three-minute scoring drought late in the half. Kitts finally snapped that stretch with a layup off a Johnson assist, and the Gamecocks went into halftime up 30-21.
Whatever was said in the locker room worked immediately.
South Carolina came out with more urgency and more control, and the defensive pressure started snowballing into offense. Johnson drew a foul on a layup attempt and got to the line, while Makeer and Edwards kept hounding Clemson.
The Tigers started coughing it up, and the Gamecocks began cashing in. Johnson turned more aggressive, pushing the pace, attacking the rim, and creating chances.
Her 3-pointer stretched the margin to 43-21, and the game swung hard in South Carolina’s favor.
The Gamecocks outscored Clemson 21-7 in the third quarter and carried a 51-28 lead into the fourth.
"The fact that we can go in the locker room at halftime and make some adjustments and actually execute," Staley said. "It's a mark of a good team."
From there, South Carolina used the final quarter to stay in control and give its younger players valuable run. Alicia Tournebize scored off an Edwards assist, then added a reverse layup.
Justine Loubens chipped in with a block, and eventually the Gamecocks had several newcomers and freshmen on the floor together. Big O took advantage of her chance with an and-one as the younger group helped close things out.
"Communication has been the key to our defense," Kitts said. "That comes from practice; our coaches tell us what we need to do, and we come in and execute."
South Carolina’s defense was the difference all night. The Gamecocks forced 21 turnovers and turned those mistakes into 19 points, while also scoring 36 points in the paint.
The shot-making never fully came around, but it didn’t have to. South Carolina defended, attacked inside, and made Clemson pay for every mistake.
Next up, the Gamecocks head back to Columbia before turning their attention to who "The Real USC" is, as they scout Juju Watkins and No. 3 Southern California in Greenville, South Carolina, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena at 1 p.m. this Sunday.
In Other News...
Clemson Fans Have One Reason To Watch South Carolina This Week
South Carolina heads into its matchup with Arkansas trying to extend a conference surge that has changed the feel around the program over the past month. The Gamecocks have put themselves in position to chase a fifth straight league win, and the conversation around this one is centered on two familiar pressure points: whether quarterback LaNorris Sellers is healthy enough to steer the offense and whether the defense can keep building on the improvements that have helped fuel the run.
For Clemson fans with an eye on the scoreboard, there is also the broader backdrop of the rivalry and the way South Carolinas season has started to take shape in November. Arkansas offers a chance for the Gamecocks to keep momentum rolling, but it also brings the kind of test that can expose any lingering issues, especially if Sellers is not at full strength. The game will be available on broadcast television, giving plenty of viewers a chance to see whether South Carolina can keep the streak alive. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Walks Into A Dangerous Spot Before Georgia
With bowl eligibility already secured, South Carolina has spent the week trying to keep its attention on the task in front of it rather than the bigger picture waiting down the road. Players and coaches have openly discussed the idea of a trap game ahead of Arkansas, a natural concern for a team riding a winning streak and still trying to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive.
The messaging out of the program has been steady: treat Arkansas as a real challenge, keep improving, and avoid getting caught looking ahead. That kind of focus matters even more now, with Georgia looming later and the Gamecocks trying to make sure one good stretch does not get interrupted by a careless Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Rare FAA Shutdown Put A Major South Carolina Sports Weekend On Edge
A rare nationwide ground stoppage from the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday put a major South Carolina sports weekend briefly on edge, with all departing flights paused because of a telecommunications error. The biggest immediate ripple for the local scene came in womens basketball, where No. 3 Southern Cal was grounded in Los Angeles while trying to get to Greenville for a scheduled showdown with No. 1 South Carolina.
For the Gamecocks, the timing was the only real concern, since the rest of the states marquee teams were not caught in the mess. South Carolina football had already traveled before the stoppage, and Clemson football was unaffected as well because its travel plans involved buses, leaving the Trojans delayed trip as the most visible reminder of how quickly a travel issue can complicate a high-profile weekend. [Read more 🡒]