Dec. 4, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C. – South Carolina erased a 12-point deficit in the second half, but could not hold off the final surge from NC State in a 55-53 loss at Reynolds Coliseum Sunday afternoon. The Gamecocks (6-2) shook off poor shooting in the first half to apply stifling defense in the second to outscore the Wolfpack (5-2) by seven in the final period. Aleighsa Welch scored 10 of her team-high 14 points in the second half, but the comeback fell just short.
The Gamecocks overcame cold shooting early in the first half with solid defense, but the Wolfpack locked down in the final minutes of the period. After a transition layup from Sancheon White brought South Carolina within one ad 13-12, Markeshia Grant’s drive to the bucket put the Gamecocks on top for the first time with 7:32 left in the half. NC State’s Myisha Goodwin-Coleman answered with a drive, but Welch countered with an open layup thanks to good interior passing by Ashley Bruner. The Wolfpack got back-to-back 3s sandwiched around a Charenee Stephens put-back for a 21-18 NC State advantage with 4:49 left in the half. It was the last bucket South Carolina would score, and the Wolfpack took a 27-18 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The second half got off to a slow start offensively, while NC State’s Bonae Holston continued her barrage. The Gamecocks got back on track with some high-low action between Bruner and Stephens, who accounted for the team’s first eight points of the half, the last two of which sparked an 11-2 South Carolina run.
Defense was the key to the surge, as the Wolfpack went more than three minutes without a point. Meanwhile, Welch and Wilson combined for three free throws that cut the lead to five, and La’Keisha Sutton hit a transition layup to pull within 34-31. After being fouled driving to the bucket, Sutton sank a pair of free throws with 13:06 to play, and the Gamecock deficit was down to one at 34-33. The teams traded layups, and Welch capped the surge by giving the Gamecocks their first lead of the half on a putback.
The lead changed hands eight times in the final 11 minutes as both teams fought and clawed at each other for the victory. Neither team led by more than four during the stretch, but the Gamecocks seemed to have the momentum, led by Grant’s back-to-back shot clock-beating buckets. The last of the set was a cold-blooded 3-pointer from the left side that turned a 49-28 NC State lead into a 51-49 Gamecock advantage with 3:47 left to play.
Defense and rebounding helped the Gamecocks open their largest lead of the game – a 53-49 edge on Welch’s driving layup. The Wolfpack answered with a free-throw line jumper from Emili Tasler, and the Gamecocks’ nemesis Holston knotted the game at 53-53 with a short jump shot with 47 seconds to play.
The Gamecocks brought the ball up the floor and set up their offense, but Holston picked off a pass to the post to get things going NC State’s way. She finished the job with a turnaround jumper with six seconds left. South Carolina again drove the ball up the floor, this time calling time out to set up the final play with 2.4 seconds on the clock. Lakeesa Daniel swiped the inbounds pass, though, to seal the win for the Wolfpack.
While Welch was the only Gamecock in double figures, three others were not far off as Grant finished with nine and Sutton and Stephens each added eight. Stephens, White and Bruner each reeled in a team-high eight rebounds as well.
South Carolina takes a break from games for exams, but the Gamecocks are back in action at Colonial Life Arena on Sun., Dec. 11, at 1 p.m. against Furman.
