The No. 2 South Carolina women’s basketball (20-2, 6-1 SEC) team delivered a statement on Sunday afternoon, ending No. 5 Vanderbilt’s undefeated start to the season. The Gamecocks won with a decisive 103-74 victory that showcased the team’s depth, defensive pressure, and their ability to respond after a disappointing loss to Oklahoma. South Carolina set the tone early against the Commodores, with freshman guard Agot Makeer scoring immediately following tipoff, opening with an 11-2 run in less than two minutes into the game. The Gamecocks scored 33 points just in the first quarter, their highest scoring quarter of the season so far.
Florida State transfer Ta’Niya Latson led the charge for the Gamecocks with 21 points, while Tessa Johnson added 20 of her own, tying her season high and knocking down four 3-pointers. Madina Okot scored 17 on an efficient 8-for-9 shooting performance, and Joyce Edwards added 16 points. In all, a total of five Lady Gamecocks reached double figures and nine players scored.
On the defense, the Gamecocks found their pace, forcing 16 first-half turnovers against a Vanderbilt team that had prided itself on ball security all season. South Caroliina turned those opportunities into easy offense, dominating the paint, and finishing with 56 points inside.
The Commodores showed brief signs of life late in the second quarter and again early in the third, trimming the deficit to seven points for a moment. But each time the game seemed to swing back in their favor, South Carolina answered. A 15–2 run halfway through the third quarter put the game out of reach for Vanderbilt, ultimately highlighting the composure and execution gap between the two teams.
For Vanderbilt, the loss serves as a measuring stick for the rest of the season rather than a collapse. Mikayla Blakes finished with 23 points but also committed five turnovers as the Commodores matched a season high with 20 giveaways (Gamecocks had 14 turnovers this game). Going up against elite athleticism and relentless pressure, the Vanderbilt offense struggled to find consistent secondary scoring options and their defense had trouble containing interior finishes.
The bigger picture for the season remains positive for both teams. Vanderbilt will remain toward the top of the rankings, still owning one of the best résumés in the nation right now. However, this loss exposes some areas that will need tightening before postseason play, including ball security under pressure and defensive resistance against high-level front courts.
As for South Carolina, the win reinforced a familiar narrative in Columbia. The Gamecocks have now beaten Vanderbilt a total of 19 times under head coach Dawn Staley. This team knows how to respond and rebound after tough losses. With multiple scoring threats, defensive depth, and the ability to control the tempo, South Carolina again looks every bit like a team built for a deep run in March.
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