Jan. 14, 2007
South Carolina went on a 33-3 run over a 14:49 period, including 18-0 to end the first half, to rout Alabama, 95-35, for the team’s largest blowout win ever over an SEC opponent. The previous largest blowout was a 46 point victory over Kentucky in 2003. With the win, USC improves to 11-7 overall and 1-2 in the conference while Alabama drops to 10-9 overall and 0-4 in SEC play.
Lauren Simms led South Carolina with 12 points, four assists and five steals in the game. Brionna Dickerson added 10 points and a game-high five assists with Melanie Johnson contributing 10 points and three steals in 10 minutes of play. Lakesha Tolliver pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds to go with nine points and tied season-highs of three assists, three blocks and two steals. All 13 players on South Carolina’s active roster scored for the first time this season.
South Carolina limited Alabama to four first half field goals, three coming from beyond the arc. The win gives the Gamecocks three consecutive wins against Alabama and victories in seven of the last nine contests.
Leading 7-6 early in the game, the Gamecocks began to run away with the game on an 8-0 run that left the Tide scoreless for 5:39. Alabama later hit two three-pointers to cut the deficit to 24-14 with 8:25 remaining in the first half, but the shots would not fall anymore afterwards as the Gamecocks cruised to an 18-0 run to take a 42-14 lead at the half. The Tide missed 10 field goals in the drought, going into the half on 4-of-24 shooting (17%) to South Carolina’s 15-of-38 first half effort (40%).
The second half began exactly as the first half ended as the Gamecocks used their defense to force 34 Alabama turnovers and register 22 steals. Alabama ended a 10:39 scoring drought and moved the score to 44-17 when Kate Mastin made a layup and free throw. However, Carolina remained in control, cruising to a 57-17 lead with 13:51 remaining on Johnson’s putback layup.
The lead hit 50 points when Demetress Adams drained a pair of free throws at the 6:05 mark that brought the score to 78-28. It swelled to 60 points after Kellindra Zackery scored on a layup with 3:57 remaining to give the Gamecocks a 91-30 edge.
South Carolina held a 55-30 rebounding edge after entering the game as the nation’s sixth ranked team in rebounding margin at +11.7. The Gamecocks also entered ranked sixth in the nation in steals (12.88) before collecting 22 against the Tide.
The Gamecocks return to action Thursday night when they play Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. The Lady Rebels are one of the SEC’s hottest teams, knocking off three ranked teams in LSU, Vanderbilt and Kentucky.
