COLUMBIA, S., C. (AP) – South Carolina wasted no time celebrating its last victory over Mississippi, not with the big picture in sight.
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley told her players in the locker room on Thursday, shortly after the 68-43 loss, that the stage was set for them to win the second consecutive title of the regular season at the Southeast Conference in 3rd place. Texas A&M this weekend.
“It’s a championship game,” said Zia Cooke, who led South Carolina to its 13th consecutive victory over Ole Miss, scoring 17 points. “We don’t want to change anything we are doing.”
Especially the defensive approach that helped South Carolina (19-3, 14-1 SEC) keep Mississippi (9-10, 3-10) in its worst pitch performance of the season.
Cooke, a sophomore, plans to continue the race for the team’s championship. “That was the goal,” she said. “That’s what all the hard work was for.”
Gamecocks will face Aggies with a loss at College Station, Texas on Sunday, with the winner raising the SEC trophy.
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South Carolina playmaker Zia Cooke (1) kicks Ole Miss during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia, SC, Thursday, February 25, 2021. (Tracy Glantz / The State via AP)
South Carolina playmaker Zia Cooke (1) kicks Ole Miss during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia, SC, Thursday, February 25, 2021. (Tracy Glantz / The State via AP)
Photo: Tracy Glantz, AP
South Carolina playmaker Zia Cooke (1) kicks Ole Miss during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia, SC, Thursday, February 25, 2021. (Tracy Glantz / The State via AP)
South Carolina playmaker Zia Cooke (1) kicks Ole Miss during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia, SC, Thursday, February 25, 2021. (Tracy Glantz / The State via AP)
Photo: Tracy Glantz, AP
Cooke placed Gamecocks quickly with 12 points in the first quarter. South Carolina has consistently moved away from the rebels, who lost the third consecutive time, all to qualified opponents.
Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said his team was “mistreated” by Gamecocks. The rebels shot 4 of 34 in the second and third quarters, shot the worst 26.2% of the season and were defeated by 43-28.
“We were not brave and it was disappointing,” she said.
South Carolina couldn’t afford to slip up at this weird start of the week – said Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley earlier this week, when she asked her operations staff what was a good time to play, she was informed in the early afternoon – with the Aggies approaching.
Cooke went up in flames, scoring 10 of South Carolina’s first 12 points.
While it cooled in the second half (it started from 0 to 6), the South Carolina defense did not do so while Mississippi struggled to find open kicks. The rebels ended the half by losing their last 12 attempts and the Gamecocks maintained a 33-20 lead in the interval.
Shakira Austin scored 22 points, the best in the game, for Mississippi.
LeLe Grissett added 12 points and Victaria Saxton 10 for Gamecocks.
The game was originally defined as the opening of the SEC for both teams on December 31. That game, however, was postponed due to problems with COVID-19 among the rebels. Instead, Florida, which was scheduled for February 25, came on the scene and lost 75-59 to the Gamecocks on New Year’s Eve.
THE GREAT IMAGE
Mississippi: The rebels have taken steps this season (they were the last in the SEC at 0-16 last year), but they still don’t have enough scoring strokes to match the best teams in the league. Ole Miss has lost 10 or more SEC games in six consecutive seasons.
South Carolina: Perhaps due to the tip earlier in the week, no one on Gamecocks was particularly sharp on this one. Even Cooke struggled on the field, hitting 7 out of 23. Aliyah Boston finished with seven points, his second consecutive single-digit game. South Carolina will have to be sharper if it wants to defeat the rising Aggies.
COACHING FRUSTRATIONS
Staley was grateful for the victory, but said the team should be more aware of Boston’s involvement. The 1.80 meter sophomore hit just four shots in the win over Ole Miss. The coach asked the team if he could continue winning that way. “We can’t,” she said. “It’s fool’s gold.”
SOUTH CAROLINA SEASON
Gamecocks reached a 10-1 mark at home this year, playing in front of a crowd limited to 3,500 – and several cardboard cutouts – due to coronavirus restrictions. South Carolina entered this season leading the country in serving women’s basketball for the past six seasons. Staley speculated that a 54-46 loss in December to No. 2 in the state of North Carolina could have had a different result with 15,000 or more Gamecocks fans in hand.
NEXT
Mississippi ends the regular season against its fifth consecutive opponent at number 19 in Kentucky on Sunday.
South Carolina plays in 3rd place for Texas A&M on Sunday for the SEC regular season title.
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