Jennings’ Double-Double Lifts Gamecocks over No. 19/15 Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 16/18 South Carolina women’sbasketball secured its ninth-straight win over No. 19/15 Kentucky with a 74-70 win at Memorial Coliseum Thursday night. The Gamecocks (15-5, 7-1 SEC) had four starters in double figures, led by senior forward Alexis Jennings‘ second double-double of the season.
Jennings finished with 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting and battled for 12 rebounds in her best performance since SEC play began. Te’a Cooper poured in 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting in 35 minutes. Bianca Cuevas-Moore scored in double figures for the third time since SEC play started with 13 points, which included eight attempts at the charity stripe. The impressive double-figure streak of Mikiah Herbert Harrigan continued with 11 points, giving her eight games in a row in double figures.
Kentucky opened the game with a quick run, but the Gamecock offense came alive after a pair of buckets from Cooper, including a coast-to-coast bucket. Jennings scored six of her 18 points in the opening quarter. Carolina used a 7-0 run to end the first period, capped off by a buzzer beating step back three from Tyasha Harris to pull the Gamecocks within three heading into the second quarter.
The Gamecocks’ run at the end of the first quarter extended into the second with Bianca Jackson sinking a transition layup with help from Doniyah Cliney to pull the score to 20-19. Kentucky used a pair of triples to reclaim a five-point advantage, but Carolina followed that up with strong defense delivering a 10-2 run to end the quarter. Victaria Saxton was able to put the Gamecocks on top 29-28 with 1:10 remaining in the quarter, and Cooper solidified the comeback quarter with another late jumper with just 10 seconds to go in the half, giving Carolina a 31-28 lead heading into the locker room.
After halftime, the Gamecocks scored 11 of the first 13 points in the third quarter to take a commanding 42-30 lead with 6:36 to go in the period. Cuevas-Moore set the tone with a tough bucket, and Jennings went coast-to-coast off a steal to swing momentum fully on the Gamecocks’ side. The lead grew even more with an 8-2 run shortly after, putting Carolina’s lead at 15 with 4:23 to go in the quarter. Kentucky was able to score the final five points at the end of the quarter to pull the score to 55-44 heading into the fourth.
The lead grew to its largest in the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to begin the final period. The Gamecocks hit four straight shots, capped by a Cliney and-one. Kentucky was able to fight back late in the fourth, but South Carolina held on for another SEC road victory.
GAMECHANGER
Carolina used a 12-6 advantage on the glass in the second quarter and held the Wildcats to just eight points and took the lead with 1:10 to go in the first half, never relinquishing the lead the remainder of the game.
KEY STAT
Along with a 44-28 advantage in the paint, the Gamecocks were able to keep the Wildcats pace slowed, allowing no fast break points and scoring 10 of their own.
NOTABLES
- Since Jennings transferred from Kentucky, in two games she has averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds on 60.0 percent (15-of-25) shooting against the Wildcats.
- Cuevas-Moore scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and the 31st time in her career. The Gamecocks are 29-2 when she scores in double figures.
- Carolina’s winning streak against Kentucky now sits at nine, with the last loss to the Wildcats coming back in 2015.
- With 67 points against Kentucky, the starting lineup of Harris, Herbert Harrigan, Jennings, Cuevas-Moore and Cooper has accounted for at least 62 points in four straight games.
- The Gamecocks held Kentucky to 38.9 percent shooting, the 12th time they have help an opponent under 39 percent from the floor, moving their record to 12-0, and 5-0 in the SEC when that happens.
- Harris’ impressive ball distribution continued with five assists giving her 426 for her career and pushing her to seventh in Carolina history past Sherry David (1988-91).
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks (15-5, 7-1 SEC) remain on the road to take on Arkansas on Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. on the SEC Network. Carolina returns home to take on Ole Miss on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.
