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No. 1 Gamecocks finish with perfect regular season with 76-68 win over Lady Vols
Women's Basketball  . 

No. 1 Gamecocks finish with perfect regular season with 76-68 win over Lady Vols

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Kamilla Cardoso had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Te-Hina Paopao scored 14 points and No. 1 South Carolina completed its second straight perfect regular season with a 76-68 victory over Tennessee on Sunday.

Cardoso and Paopao, both seniors, excelled on Senior Day as the Gamecocks (29-0, 16-0 Southeastern Conference) won their 47th straight SEC regular-season game, their 57th straight at home and their sixth in a row over the Lady Vols (17-11, 10-6).

Rickea Jackson had a game-high 29 points for Tennessee.

Cardoso played in front of her mother, Janete Soares and and older sister, Jessica Silva, after they arrived from Brazil. Coach Dawn Staley facilitated their arrival, with help from U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, by getting visas approved. Cardoso put on quite a show with her family in the crowd.

She had six points and six rebounds in the first quarter. After Tennessee took a 24-23 lead, she led the way as the Gamecocks outscored the Lady Vols 17-8 to close the second period and take a 40-32 lead into the break.

When Tennessee cut a 15-point deficit to 63-60 on Jackson’s jumper with 4:51 to play, it was Cardoso who extended the margin with consecutive inside shots. Cardoso, who fouled out late in the fourth quarter, got a loud ovation from the sold-out arena as she went to the bench.

Cardoso finished with her 13th double-double this season and 29th of her career.

Notables

  • With the 76-68 win over Tennessee, South Carolina moved to 29-0, finishing the regular-season undefeated for the second-straight season.
  • South Carolina will be the first team in league history to enter the SEC Tournament undefeated multiple times.
  • Kamilla Cardoso posted with a team-high 18 points and 14 boards for her 13th double-double of the season, scoring 14 of her points in just the first half.
  • Te-Hina Paopao tallied her 70th career game in double figures, contributing six of her 14 points in the third quarter to add to an 11-6 run that put the Gamecocks back on top for the remainder of the game.
  • MiLaysia Fulwiley got hot in the third quarter, scoring eight of her 13 points in five minutes on the floor, highlighted by a 3 that put the Gamecocks up by 15 for their largest lead of the game.
  • Bree Hall finished with 13 points for her 20th career game in double-figures and posted a career-high three blocks as well.
  • Ashlyn Watkins closed out the fourth quarter with eight of her 13 points, adding six to a 12-5 run to help put the Gamecocks on top by 10.

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