By PETE IACOBELLI
The Associated Press
COLOMBIA – In one day, South Carolina unveiled a bronze statue of A’ja Wilson, the current highlight Aliyah Boston shone in a way not unlike the great Gamecocks.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” said coach Dawn Staley. “If you look at some of his dominant performances, you’ll see that they are A’ja Wilson’s numbers. Aliyah is right there. “
Boston had 26 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks to lead fourth-placed Gamecocks in the 104-82 victory over No. 15 Arkansas on Monday night.
“I’ve been focusing on being more dominant,” said Boston. “The coach made me see how dominant I need to be and I cannot relax.”
That’s what Staley did for Wilson, three times All-America who helped the Gamecocks win the NCAA tournament in 2017. Staley’s guidance is having a similar effect in Boston, the second six-foot year that has become one of the best .
South Carolina (10-1, 5-0 Southeast Conference) has won its last 24 games against conference opponents in the past two seasons.
Boston scored his fifth double-double of the season at the break and the Gamecocks won for the 14th time in their last 15 meetings with Arkansas (11-5, 2-4).
“It’s not just her size,” Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said of Boston. “She is incredibly skilled and incredibly intelligent.”
The Razorbacks and Chelsea Dungee were the last team in the league to beat South Carolina, winning 95-89 in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament two years ago. Gamecocks haven’t lost against a league team since their last four games with Arkansas.
The Boston game was again a big reason. She had six points, eight rebounds and five blocks in the first quarter, when Gamecocks opened a 28-17 lead.
Behind Dungee, Razorbacks were able to keep things steady. Dungee had five points in a 9-2 explosion that cut South Carolina’s double-digit lead.
Arkansas lost 62-59 after Erynn Barnum’s basket at the end of the third quarter. That was when South Carolina scored nine consecutive points to gain control. Boston had a three-point play and another bucket in the race.
Staley said the Gamecocks have been growing as the season continues. The difference, she said, is taking papers to make everyone better.
“I am pleased and encouraged that we are moving to have an identity in defense and looking for balance in attack,” said Staley. “It is a good place to be.”
Dungee, the SEC’s top scorer, had 22 points to lead Arkansas.
Brea Beal scored 22 points, setting a career record in South Carolina, scoring points for the second game in a row, after the 17 points she won in the 106-43 victory at Vanderbilt on Thursday night.
Boston, a sophomore, had her 18th career game with double-digit points and rebounds.
THE GREAT IMAGE
Arkansas: The Razorbacks have struggled in the SEC game, losing to four teams currently ranked in their first six league games. The high-scoring dungee had just 8 out of 18 shots at the Gamecocks and Arkansas will need more contributions to get things going in the difficult conference.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks look like a different team than they did in early December, when they had their only loss, 54-46, to second place in the state of North Carolina. Boston, Beal and Zia Cooke, from South Carolina, are playing at the championship level.
HONOR OF A’JA
Wilson was moved to tears at the dedication ceremony on MLK Day, remembering how his late grandmother could not walk on campus and had to avoid university to get where he was going because she was black. Wilson would like to be alive to see “the same land that houses a statue of his granddaughter”. Neighbors, the Arkansas coach, said he thought it might have been the comment of the day in one dedicated to the memory of a civil rights leader.
WHY THEY PLAY
Neighbors said several people at Colonial Life Arena came to him to thank him for their team’s dedication to playing. Neighbors pointed out how, without these games, the ushers and those who work with concessions may not be paid. “We know why we are playing,” he said.
NEXT
Arkansas will be gone for a week before playing in Georgia’s 22nd place on January 25th.
South Carolina plays a rescheduled match with No. 22 Georgia on Thursday night.