Gamecocks Fall to No. 17/23 Indiana, 71-57

BOX SCORE

ST. THOMAS, U.S.V.I. – No. 5/6 South Carolina suffered a rare bad-shooting night, falling to No. 17/23 Indiana 71-57 in the Paradise Jam. The Gamecocks led after the first quarter and dominated the third quarter, but foul trouble to key Gamecocks derailed the offense late in the loss.
 
Three Gamecocks finished in double figures, led by Mikiah Herbert Harrigan’s 13 points. The senior also led the team in rebounding with eight. Freshman Aliyah Boston was one of the Gamecocks saddled with foul trouble throughout the game, playing just 14 minutes but still finishing with 10 points. Freshman Zia Cooke netted 10 points as well.
 
The Gamecocks hit first with a 7-3 run to open the game, but the Hoosiers started hitting from outside and crashing the glass. The two teams battled back and forth through much of the first half South Carolina’s offense slowed when Aliyah Boston had to go to the bench with her second foul with 4:31 left in the first half, allowing Indiana to carry a 38-31 lead into halftime.
 
South Carolina bounced back in the third. With the defense locked in, the Gamecocks got things rolling in their most successful territory – the paint – out-rebounding Indiana 20-6 in the period and scoring 12 of their 34 points in the paint in the quarter. Herbert Harrigan and Brea Beal were the catalysts as their effort and energy out of the break put the Hoosiers back on their heels. The duo accounted for 11 of the Gamecocks’ first 13 points in the quarter, including Beal’s transition layup to go up 44-42 with 4:17 to go in the quarter.
 
A 7-0 surge, fueled by holding Indiana to one shot on each offensive possession, gave the Gamecocks a 51-47 advantage heading into the final period. Back-to-back turnovers opened the fourth quarter and the first five possessions included another one as South Carolina’s offense and rebounding waned. Indiana went up 53-51 just over two minutes into the quarter, but Cooke answered with a traditional three-point play to go back up 54-53.
 
Indiana reclaimed the lead by driving to the rim, where Boston was limited by four fouls. With the Gamecocks trailing 57-54 with 4:58 to play, Tyasha Harris picked up her fifth foul, and a minute later, Boston was sent out with her fifth foul of the night. The Hoosiers took advantage of the Gamecocks’ frustration and powered their way to the win.
 
GAMECHANGER
After point guard Tyasha Harris fouled out with 4:58 to play, the Gamecocks scored just three points the rest of the game.
 
KEY STAT
South Carolina shot 51.4 percent (18-of-35) combined in the first and third quarters, but managed to hit just 20.0 percent (6-of-30) in the second and fourth quarters combined.
 
NOTABLES

• South Carolina’s six points in the fourth quarter were the second fewest scored in a single quarter in program history.
• Indiana’s 71 points are the most by a Gamecock opponent this season.
• With a team-high five assists, Tyasha Harris moved into third place in the Gamecocks’ career assists charts. Her 547 are 48 away from second place on the list.
• Prior to fouling out in this game,  Harris had committed just five fouls in the previous six games combined. She has fouled out of just one other game since the start of her junior year.

 
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks are back in action at the Paradise Jam Friday against Washington State. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.