COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Freshman Aliyah Boston scored a career-high 18 points, senior Ty Harris also had 18 and fifth-ranked South Carolina routed South Carolina Upstate 112-32 on Thursday night.
The Gamecocks (5-0) took a 27-2 lead before the Spartans (3-3) hit their first field goal. All 11 players on South Carolina’s roster saw action, and 10 scored. Six finished in double figures.
Victaria Saxton scored 14 points, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan had 13, Destanni Henderson had 15 and Laeticia Amihere had 10. South Carolina Upstate was led by Maya Timberlake and Brianna Lewis with seven points each.
The Gamecocks’ 80-point margin of victory was a high under coach Dawn Staley and the second highest in school history. Their 112 points were the most scored under Staley, who’s in her 12th season.
South Carolina added nine to its nation-leading total in blocked shots. Harris, the Gamecocks’ four-year starting point guard, scored her 1,000th career point.
BIG PICTURE
SC Upstate: The Spartans shot a dreadful 37.2% in a loss at Jacksonville and finished at 15.9% against South Carolina. Their record dipped to .500 with all three losses coming on the road.
South Carolina: Staley had been concerned about her team’s ability to finish games. The Gamecocks began the second half with a 64-18 lead and scored 48 more points, despite playing their substitutes the entire fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
SC Upstate is in the buy game portion of its schedule. The Spartans head to Georgia Tuesday for another game that earns a check no matter the result.
South Carolina is about to embark on a five-game stretch away from home. The Gamecocks are at archrival Clemson on Sunday, then play three games in the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands before ending the slate at Temple.
