SAN ANTONIO (AP) – South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was already thinking about the future after achieving her 500th career victory in the first round of the NCAA women’s tournament.
“Five hundred and one sounds good and so on,” said Staley.
Aliyah Boston had 20 points and 18 rebounds and Victaria Saxton also scored 20, leading the top Gamecocks to a 79-53 victory over Mercer on Sunday.
South Carolina (23-4) took the lead definitely when it closed the first half with a 16-5 streak after a Staley timeout, which had started the second quarter with what she called a “funky lineup” on the court .
“She kind of talked about how we haven’t played in two weeks, so we’re just trying to get back on track. Do not worry about this. Keep going, pushing, ”said Saxton of the coach’s message during the timeout. “So this is what we did. We just went out and continued to play our game. “
Gamecocks were national champions in 2017, when the Final Four was last played in Texas. They went 32-1 last season, spent the last 10 weeks at No. 1 and Staley was the AP coach of the year, but they didn’t have a chance to win another title because the NCAA tournament was canceled because of the pandemic.
South Carolina’s next game is a fight against Oregon State on Tuesday.
Amoria Neal-Tysor had 15 points for Mercer (19-7). Jada Lewis added 14 points and Shannon Titus finished with 12.
Staley has 328-102 in his 13 seasons in South Carolina, after doing 172-80 in eight seasons at Temple. The SEC Tournament Gamecocks champion is in his ninth consecutive NCAA tournament, winning in the first round each time.
“I mean, it’s a major milestone,” said Staley. “It means you’ve been in the game for a long time. And most likely you had some great players that allowed you to get to this point, from my days at the Temple to my days in South Carolina. … I am forever indebted to them. “
It was Boston’s 28th double-double in 60 career games. American Virgin Islands All-American striker had 15 points and 10 rebounds in the interval. She made a 3-point hoop on the doorbell, which came just after Lewis hit a 3 to end an 11-0 race for the Gamecocks.
After losing 11 points in the first quarter, Mercer opened the second with a 15-4 streak. They drew at 27 on a long jump from Neal-Tysor, leading Staley to a timeout, not long after Neal-Tysor had a theft and a tray to separate.
Mercer coach Susie Gardner said her team had two goals for the game: slowing down the ball and not letting Gamecocks achieve easy transition layups, which the Bears did with some effectiveness, and preventing them from receiving offensive rebounds.
“We did a really bad job with that, and that was the difference in the game,” said Gardner. “They attacked us in the offensive glass.”
With Boston, Saxton and striker Laeticia Amihere (11 points, eight rebounds) on the front line, South Carolina had a 52-27 rebound advantage, including 21 offensive rebounds and 23 second chance points. Gamecocks had a 42-16 scoring advantage in painting.
IMPROVED BEARS
Mercer was in his third consecutive NCAA tournament, but he would not have arrived last year when the Bears were 8-23. The Southern Conference Tournament champions were the most evolved of the 64 teams to reach this year’s NCAA Tournament, with 11 more wins and 16 fewer losses.
“Honestly, this is the best year of my life in college basketball, especially in the midst of ups and downs,” said Lewis, the veteran who was transferred from Georgia. “It was an incredible experience … I definitely see them winning a championship next year. I have no doubts, and I know that the coach will take them to Sweet 16 as she wants.”
LACK OF GUARD
South Carolina is playing without its only senior, with 1.80 meter guard LeLe Gressett, removed from the pitch because of a right foot injury sustained in the SEC Tournament championship game.
___ ‘
More AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball