Gamecocks Down App State 92-50

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 6/10 South Carolina Gamecocks used a dominant first half to cruise to a 92-50 win over the Appalachian State Mountaineers on Sunday at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks’ (3-0) defense was stifling early, allowing the Mountaineers (0-3) just three points in the opening quarter, while the Gamecock offense shot 63.6 percent in the period to put the game out of reach early.
 
Senior Mikiah Herbert Harrigan led the way with a game-high 21 points and four blocks. The Pembroke Pines, Fla., native pulled down six rebounds and picked up three steals as well. Freshman Aliyah Boston made a show of things on both ends of the floor, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Sophomore Destanni Henderson displayed her offensive prowess with 16 points and three assists. Senior Tyasha Harris cracked double figures for the third time this year with her 11 points, and she dished out four assists as well. Sophomore Victoria Saxton made it back-to-back games of double-digit points with 10 today to go along with her six rebounds and four blocks. Freshman Brea Beal rounded out the six Gamecocks in double figures with 10 points to go with her nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
 
Carolina took over early with Boston opening the scoring with a layup. Beal sank a pair of free throws, followed by a three from fellow freshman Zia Cooke to open the flood gates. Boston added another bucket, then Harris scored her first points of the game to make it 11-0 before App State called a timeout to try and slow things down. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, the timeout didn’t slow Carolina’s momentum. The Garnet and Black used a smothering defensive presence and kept the offensive pressure up to open the game on a 32-0 run. App State got on the board with a three from Lainey Gosnell with 20 seconds remaining, but a Herbert Harrigan three gave Carolina a 35-3 lead after the first quarter.
 
Junior LeLe Grissett got in on the scoring with a jumper to open the second, followed by a Beal layup and a Henderson layup to make it 41-3. The Mountaineers responded with a Pre Stanley jumper to cut into the lead. After another Boston bucket, Ashley Polacek drained a three for App State to make it 43-8, but the Gamecocks closed the half on a 10-1 run to take a 53-9 halftime lead.
 
App State found some offensive rhythm in the third, but Herbert Harrigan locked in during the third frame to score eight of her 21 points and help send Carolina into the fourth with a 72-30 lead. The fourth saw the Gamecocks add to their lead with Beal scoring six of her 10 points, and Saxton swatting a shot away with 1:30 remaining, the 17th block for Carolina on the day, breaking the previous single-game record of 16 blocks as the Gamecocks cruised to the 92-50 win.
 
GAMECHANGER
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan made an impact all over the floor with a game-high 21 points, six rebounds, four blocks, three steals and two assists.
 
KEY STAT
The Gamecocks held the Mountaineers to 10.3 percent shooting in the first half, allowing only nine points, tying the fifth-lowest points allowed total for a half in program history.
 
NOTABLES

• The three points scored by App State in the first quarter tied the record for fewest points allowed in a quarter in program history, and the Mountaineers’ 5.6 percent field goal shooting in the frame was the lowest ever by a Gamecock opponent.
• The 17 blocks tallied by the Gamecocks broke the previous record of 16 originally set against Winthrop on Dec. 13, 2015, and tied in this season’s opener against Alabama State (Nov. 5, 2019). Three Gamecocks finished with four blocks – Aliyah Boston, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Victaria Saxton.
• The Gamecocks handed out 25 assists on 37 made field goals (67.6 percent) with eight of the 10 Gamecocks in the game handing out at least two and three finishing with four – Brea Beal, LeLe Grissett, Tyasha Harris.
• Mikiah Herbert Harrigan set a personal career high with 10 made field goals, eclipsing her previous high of nine (vs. Arkansas, 3/8/19).
• With her 10 points today, Victaria Saxton has two games with double-digit scoring, tying the total amount of games she broke double figures as a freshman.
• Redshirt-freshman Laeticia Amihere was not at today’s game because she is with Team Canada at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Americas Tournament in Edmonton. She will return to the Gamecocks this week.

 
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks (4-0) take the floor at home once again to host USC Upstate (3-1) on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.