COLOMBIA, SC – Zia Cooke scored 21 points and runner-up South Carolina was back on track after his first SEC loss in two seasons, with a 76-55 victory over 17th Kentucky on Sunday.
The Gamecocks (18-3, 13-1) won 31 consecutive league opponents before exploding a double-digit lead in the second half for No. 21 Tennessee last Thursday night.
Cooke and South Carolina’s petty defense ensured it would not be two consecutive defeats. The Gamecocks held Rhyne Howard with 12 points out of 2 out of 11 shots, while senior LeLe Grissett followed the Kentucky star for much of the game.
Point guard Destanni Henderson scored 14 points on the Gamecocks’ backcourt, in a game in which central Aliyah Boston finished with four points, the lowest number of the season, nine less than his average.
South Carolina burst quickly in the second half, when Grissett and Henderson made baskets to open a 38-30 lead.
A time-out from Kentucky (15-6, 8-5) in less than a minute did not stop the Gamecocks charge and when Cooke drove to the rim for a tray, he missed and hit the free throw, they were 43-32 and crossing to their room directly over the Wildcats.
Cooke said losing in Tennessee after the 37-21 lead was a “bore” because of how hard they worked. “But we were together, we trained a lot and we knew we would be victorious if we kept the game plan.”
Kentucky came in pointing to this one. After all, the Wildcats had a nine-point lead at home in South Carolina last month, before dropping 75-70.
But they failed to overcome South Carolina’s relentless defensive pressure. The Wildcats scored just eight field goals and Howard did not score goals in the first 17 minutes, as they were left behind by 31-21.
Howard, however, broke free with a pair of three points to lead a 9-2 Kentucky burst on the straight and lost just 34-30 in the interval.
South Carolina dulled any hopes of Kentucky’s rally with its quick start to the third quarter. The Gamecocks held Howard for just six false kicks in the final 20 minutes, when she missed all six attempts at her field goal after the break.
Grissett said Howard was the most important person on the court for Kentucky and the Gamecocks made a point of making it difficult for her. “Just brake and focus on what’s in front of us,” she said.
Grissett, the team’s only veteran honored before the release, had 13 points and Laeticia Amihere had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Kentucky coach Kyra Elzy did not think Howard was out of play, instead he gave credit to South Carolina for defending his side of the court to kick away. Elzy said the defeat was both his team’s struggle to recover.
“We didn’t have the resistance we needed to recover,” she said.
In another 25 games on Sunday, Morgan Jones scored 26 points and withdrew 10 rebounds, while the State of Florida surprised Louisville’s No. 3 68-59 in Tallahassee, Florida. Jones hit 7 out of 13 from the floor and 12 out of 15 from the free throw line for the Seminoles (9-6, 8-6 ACC). Dana Evans had 13 points, 10 in the second half, but scored just 5 out of 21 for Louisville (20-2, 13-2). … Aleah Goodman scored 20 points and Oregon State defeated No. 8 UCLA 71-64 to boost their hopes for the NCAA tournament. The game was tied at 57 with 5:57 remaining, but the Beavers (8-6, 6-6 Pac-12) beat the Bruins by 14-7 the rest of the way. Michaela Onyen led UCLA (13-4, 11-4) with 21 points and Lauryn Miller added 13. … Jakia Brown-Turner set the record for her career with 25 points and the 4th state of North Carolina avenged a defeat earlier this month by beating rival North Carolina 82-63 in Raleigh, NC Elissa Cunane added 17 points and 14 rebounds for Wolfpack (15-2, 10-2 ACC). Tar Heels (11-9, 6-9) didn’t come close to eight after the break. … Kayla Wells had 18 points and eight rebounds and Texas A&M number 5 dominated the fourth period for a 66-55 victory over Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. The Aggies (20-1, 11-1 SEC) won their eighth consecutive game, but the rebels (9-9, 3-11) kept the competition up to fourth place, losing only to 44-39. So it was all Texas A&M. … Dijonai Carrington scored 19 points, and No. 7 Baylor broke the tie at halftime to beat Oklahoma 77-66 in Norman, Okla. … Moon Ursin had 17 points and Nalyssa Smith added 16 for the Lady Bears (17 -2, 12-1 Big 12), who hit 57% in her ninth consecutive victory. Madi Williams scored 21 points and Gabby Gregory added 19 for Oklahoma (8-10, 5-8). … Naz Hillmon scored 27 points and Michigan’s No. 11 defeated Ohio State’s No. 15 75-66 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to share the series of the season. Hillmon scored 50 points and had 16 rebounds in the 81-77 loss to the Buckeyes (13-4, 9-4) on January 21, but only four Wolverines scored in that defeat. This time, seven Wolverines (13-2, 8-2 Big Ten) added points, including Amy Dilk with 13 points and six assists, Akienreh Johnson scoring 12 points and Leigha Brown, who lost the first encounter, placing 11 .. .. Sydney Parrish hit four points and scored 17 points off the bench and No. 13 Oregon ended a three-game streak with a 72-48 victory over the USC in Los Angeles. Erin Boley added 13 points and eight rebounds for Oregon (13-7, 10-6 Pac-12). Alissa Pili scored 14 points for the Trojans (10-10, 8-9), who hit just 33% (18 out of 55). … In Athens, Georgia, Gabby Connally scored 24 points, Jordan Isaacs blocked a shot in the last second and Georgia’s No. 22 defeated Tennessee’s No. 21 by 57-55 in the Bulldogs’ first sweep against Lady Vols in 36 years. A failed free throw by Connally with 22.1 seconds left and alternate turnovers gave Tennessee one last chance with 10.2 seconds remaining. Gunner Rennia Davis caught the ball in the backcourt, worked for the left wing and made a three point attempt that Isaacs hit in the 12th Bulldog block, the best of the season. That Morrison added 11 points for Georgia (17-4, 9-4 SEC). Davis scored 22 points for Lady Vols (13-6, 7-4).
In other SEC games on Sunday, Hayley Frank scored 26 points in Missouri’s 96-80 victory over Florida in Columbia, Mo. Aijha Blackwell added 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Tigers (8-9, 4-8). Shug Dickson scored 20 and Shannon Dufficy 19 for Missouri. Kiara Smith led Florida (10-11, 3-10) with 34 points and 11 rebounds. … Jasmine Walker had 20 points and nine rebounds in Alabama’s lead in the 71-63 victory over Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Ariyah Copeland had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Crimson Tide (15-6, 8-6). Rickea Jackson overcame the Bulldogs (8-7, 3-6) with 18 points, while Jessika Carter added 11 points and 12 rebounds.
South Carolina playmaker LeLe Grissett, center, meets her teammates before an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky on Sunday, February 21, 2021 in Columbia, SC (AP Photo / Sean Rayford)
Kentucky playmaker Jazmine Massengill (13) dribbles against South Carolina playmaker Zia Cooke (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, February 21, 2021, in Columbia, SC (AP Photo / Sean Rayford)
Kentucky head coach Kyra Elzy, right, communicates with players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against South Carolina, Sunday, February 21, 2021, in Columbia, SC (AP Photo / Sean Rayford)
Kentucky guard Jazmine Massengill (13) dribbles during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against South Carolina, Sunday, February 21, 2021, in Columbia, SC (AP Photo / Sean Rayford)
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley gestures from the bench during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky, Sunday, February 21, 2021, in Columbia, SC (AP Photo / Sean Rayford)