Nov. 17, 2007
COLUMBIA – A quartet of double-digit scorers guided South Carolina to a 66-54 victory over Buffalo this afternoon at the Colonial Center. Freshman Courtney Newton poured in a game-high 17 points, including 10 in the first half when a pair of runs helped the Gamecocks (3-0) wrest control from a scrappy Buffalo squad. Senior Lakesha Tolliver and junior Demetress Adams netted 13 and 14 points, respectively, securing the interior for the Gamecocks.
“Two years ago, we would have lost this game, to be quite honest,” South Carolina head coach Susan Walvius said. “We are able to shoot on the outside. Courtney [Newton] was able to shoot the ball, and we were able to put up some high-low looks from post to post. I wasn’t happy with the defense; we were a step slow today. We would have not put up 66 points two years ago against this Buffalo defense.”
The first half got off to a slow start for the Gamecocks, and Buffalo’s aggressive defense helped it to a 5-3 lead. A Tolliver three-point play got Carolina back within one at 6-7, and Brionna Dickerson drained a three to give the Gamecocks a 9-7 lead, which they would not relinquish. Newton spun around defenders for a layup and a four-point margin.
After Buffalo’s Heather Turner hit one of two free throws to narrow the Carolina lead to three, Newton started the first of two first-half runs. Her short jumper and subsequent 3-pointer from the left elbow started an 11-4 spurt that saw the Gamecocks go up by 11 points at 23-12 with 7:28 left in the half.
The Bulls charged back to within four in the next three trips down the floor, including Dayna Smith’s 3-pointer with 4:24 in the period. Tolliver and Newton ended the streak as Tolliver drained two free throws, and Newton drilled another 3-pointer. Jordan Jones made it a 10-point margin with her first 3-pointer of the game with 2:29 left.
The margin hovered around double digits early in the second half until Jamie Schieber went on a personal six-point run to bring the Bulls within six at 47-41 at the 12:30 mark. This time Tolliver had the answer with a pair of free throws and a fast-break lay-up after a Samone Kennedy steal, putting the lead back into double digits with a tick under 10 minutes to play. Carolina held off the Bulls the rest of the way.
With four rebounds to go with her 13 points, Tolliver eclipsed the 300-rebound mark in her career. A pair of blocked shots brought her within 16 of the school record for career blocks as well. Newton scored her season high on 6-of-11 shooting and handed out a team-high four assists as well. Adams swatted away four shots and collected seven rebounds. Jones rounded out the double-digit scorers for Carolina with 11 points.
For the Bulls, Schiebner scored 14 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, while Stephanie Bennett added 11 points. Ashley Zuber handed out nine assists, playing the full 40 minutes.
South Carolina wraps up its season-opening four-game home stand on Tue., Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. against Penn State.
