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No. 3 South Carolina opens SEC Tournament title defense with 87-64 rout of No. 17 Kentucky
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- No. 3 South Carolina opens SEC Tournament title defense with 87-64 rout of No. 17 Kentucky
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Joyce Edwards scored 21 points, Madina Okot added 12 points and 13 rebounds and No. 3 South Carolina routed 17th-ranked Kentucky 87-64 in the first of four Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinal games Friday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Tessa Johnson added 15 points and Ta'Niya Latson 12 for the top-seeded Gamecocks, who raced to a 17-point halftime lead and never let up.
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South Carolina (30-2) looked laser focused as it began its quest for a fourth straight SEC Tournament title and 10th in the past 12 seasons under coach Dawn Staley, shooting 53% from the field, forcing 19 turnovers and outscoring Kentucky 46-24 in the paint.
Amelia Hassett had 15 points and Clara Strack scored 13 to lead Kentucky (23-10).
The Gamecocks will play Saturday against former point guard MiLaysia Fulwiley and No. 6 LSU, which routed No. 7 Oklahoma 112-78 .
Kentucky, the ninth seed, was playing its third game in three days following a 94-64 win over Arkansas and a 76-61 victory over Georgia with Strack combining for 53 points and 21 rebounds.
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Whether or not fatigue played a factor, the Wildcats simply looked a step behind the fresh Gamecocks all game.
South Carolina raced out to a 44-27 lead at the half, using a big height advantage to dominate the paint 20-12 and a stifling defense to force 10 turnovers. Tessa Johnson provided the early spark with 12 points in the first half and Okot had a double-double before the break.
South Carolina kept its foot on the gas in the second half, using a 13-6 run to build a 24-point lead and was never threatened again.
The big lead allowed Staley to rest her starters for the majority of the second half to keep them fresh for Saturday.
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Kentucky: The Wildcats will await their NCAA Tournament fate, where they hope they've done enough to earn a top 16 spot and the opportunity to host the first two rounds.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks will play LSU on Saturday in the semifinals.
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