Columbia, SC. — The No. 2-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat the Clemson Tigers 65-37 before a crowd of 16,623 in attendance. The win extends South Carolina’s dominance in the in-state rivalry and highlights the depth and defensive tenacity of the Gamecocks.
South Carolina jumped out to an early 11-0 run, starving Clemson of momentum and forcing the Tigers to regroup.
Heading into the final period, the Gamecocks held a modest lead of 45-35. The game was far from decided at that point.
In the fourth quarter, South Carolina’s defense locked in – Clemson went 0-for-17 from the field and made only two free throws. The Gamecocks outscored the Tigers 20-2 in the period to seal the margin. Joyce Edwards finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds, while Tessa Johnson had 13 points. Madina Okot came up big for USC with a double-double, tallying 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Clemson (2-1) shot just 23.0 % from the field. South Carolina outscored the Tigers 20-2 in the fourth quarter to pull away for the victory. Taylor Johnson-Matthews led Clemson with 10 points.
South Carolina will face #8 Southern California on Saturday and Clemson will host American University of Thursday.
