March 3, 2012

Box Score | Printable Box Score

NASHVILLE – No. 25 South Carolina dropped a 74-58 decision to No. 13/10 Tennessee Saturday night in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Playing their third game in as many days, the Gamecocks (23-9) struggled to stop the taller Lady Vols (23-8). Four Gamecocks were in double figures, led by 13 points each from Ieasia Walker and Markeshia Grant.

The Gamecock offense was sluggish early in the game as the taller Lady Vols forced them to run everything from well outside the 3-point arc. South Carolina stayed aggressive and active on defense, though, forcing Tennessee into seven turnovers in the period. The Lady Vols were able to turn defensive rebounds into easier transition baskets, helping them to 44.0% field goal shooting.

It was back-and-forth early, but Tennessee surged ahead first with a 7-0 run that turned a two-point Gamecock lead into a five-point deficit. The Lady Vols’ points came in the paint and on a quick 3-pointer from Meighan Simmons for a 16-11 edge with 9:37 left in the half. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley called a timeout to settle her group, and the reset worked. Aleighsa Welch rolled to the left block for an easy bucket. Neither team could convert on their next four possessions until La’Keisha Sutton led Charenee Stephens to the right block with a nice interior pass, and the resulting bucket made it a 16-15 Tennessee advantage with 6:26 to play.

Tennessee surged ahead again with a 12-3 run that gave the Lady Vols a 10-point lead. During the spurt, the Gamecocks got just one basket, a 3-pointer from Markeshia Grant, and committed two turnovers. It was Tennessee’s work on the glass, holding South Carolina to just one shot on each possession that kept the Gamecocks at bay. South Carolina did score the final four points of the half, though on a pull-up jumper from Ieasia Walker and a transition layup off a steal by Sutton to trail just 28-22 at the break.

The Gamecocks came out firing in the second half, led by Grant, who netted the team’s first seven points on a 3-pointer from the left wing, a driving layup and a pair of free throws. Unfortunately, Tennessee was keeping pace with her. The Lady Vols seemed to add to baskets to every one for South Carolina and stretched its lead to double digits eight minutes into the period. South Carolina continued to fight, but the Lady Vols continued to crash the boards and create quick offensive opportunities to expand their advantage throughout the half.

Walker and Grant led the offense, and Sutton and Tina Roy joined them in double figures with 10 points apiece. The Gamecocks shook off 29.0 percent shooting in the first half to net 40.6 percent of their shots in the second. Welch led the rebounding effort, which included 16 offensive rebounds for the team, with five of her boards.

South Carolina will now wait to learn its postseason fate. Brackets for the NCAA Tournament and Women’s NIT will be announced on Mon., March 12.