COLOMBIA, SC (AP) – Destanni Henderson scored 19 points and Aliyah Boston added 12 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks in South Carolina’s first position over LSU 66-59 on Sunday, for the 31st consecutive victory in the Southeast Conference.
The Gamecocks (17-2, 12-0 SEC) have not lost in the league game since they fell to Arkansas in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament in March 2019.
Boston ended with its 10th double-double this season and 23rd of its career, as South Carolina won the 12th consecutive at LSU. Zia Cooke added 13 points for Gamecocks.
Jailin Cherry had a career record of 19 points to lead LSU (8-10, 6-6). Faustine Aifuwa had 11 points and 12 rebounds, his ninth double-double this season for the Tigers.
Henderson had his second consecutive standout performance after acknowledging his failures – the junior point guard had eight twists and turns – in a 63-59 loss in overtime for No. 2 UConn on Monday night, which is likely to take South Carolina away. from first place in the new ranking comes Monday.
Henderson, who scored seven points during a decisive third-quarter streak in Thursday’s victory over Missouri, started from where he left off against LSU.
Gamecocks used a 12-0 run and some tight defense in the first quarter to build a big advantage that LSU was unable to overcome. Tigers lost by 18 in the third quarter before reaching a digit at the end.
Cooke started the race with a jumper and two false shots. Henderson hit a basket and Boston followed with two internal shots before Henderson scored the next five points.
Henderson kept up the pressure on LSU with good direction, left-handed layup and a long 3 while South Carolina climbed 27-13.
Henderson finished with three of South Carolina’s four points out of three.
LSU struggled to hit the shots, missing eight straight during a stretch. The Tigers were also negligent in handling the ball, with 11 plays in the first half.
THE GREAT IMAGE
LSU: The Tigers lost their last three games and dropped to 1-4 against qualified teams. Things don’t get any easier in the last two weeks of the regular season; they face opponents classified as Kentucky, Arkansas and Mississippi State in the final stretch.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks seem to have put aside the disappointment of losing to UConn and are focusing on their goal of more SEC titles in the regular season and in the next tournament next month.
MARCO DE STALEY
The SEC’s win in the regular season was the 150th in the 12 seasons of coach Dawn Staley of Gamecocks. She drew with Texas A&M coach Gary Blair for the most league wins among active coaches.
NEXT
LSU faces No. 20 Kentucky on Thursday night.
South Carolina visits No. 16 Tennessee on Thursday night.
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