Cardoso, Boston lift No. 1 South Carolina past Auburn 94-42
South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston shoots a 3-pointer against Auburn during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond) Credit: AP/Nell Redmond
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kamilla Cardoso scored 16 points and Aliyah Boston had 13 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 1 South Carolina to its 13th straight win over Auburn, 94-42, on Thursday night.
The Gamecocks (15-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) won their 21st straight overall, dating to their successful run to an NCAA Tournament title last season.
Victaria Saxton had 12 points and Zia Cooke, coming off a career high 31 in a win at Georgia last Monday, was the fourth South Carolina player in double figures with 10 points.
A big part of coach Dawn Staley's game plan was to get her star player playing like a star once more after Boston was held to single-digit points and rebounds in South Carolina's first two SEC games.
Boston played just 19 minutes in the 76-34 romp over Texas A&M and was swarmed by as many as four defenders by Georgia in the Gamecocks' 68-51 victory on Monday.
Boston was active and on target from the start against Auburn. She made three of her four attempts — including her first 3-pointer of the season — as the Gamecocks took a 26-7 lead after the first quarter.
The game's only drama down the stretch came as Boston was stuck on nine rebounds in the final period. The crowd gasped on several possessions as Boston had chances to grab that rebound, but came up short.
South Carolina guard Zia Cooke, left, drives to the basket against Auburn guard Sania Wells during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond) Credit: AP/Nell Redmond
Boston finished with four of her team's nine blocked shots.
South Carolina kept pouring it on after taking control, leading by 32 points at the half and 44 after three quarters.
Aicha Coulibaly had 16 points to lead Auburn (10-5, 0-3), which hasn't beaten the Gamecocks since a 53-49 win at home in January 2012.
BIG PICTURE
South Carolina forward Victaria Saxton, right, shoots over Auburn forward Kharyssa Richardson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbia, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond) Credit: AP/Nell Redmond
Auburn: The Tigers were without their leading scorer, Honesty Scott-Grayson, who missed her third straight game with an injury. Without Scott-Grayson's 15 points per game, Auburn couldn't hope to keep close to the powerhouse Gamecocks.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks, among the country's top rebounding teams, got just eight boards on the offensive glass compared to Auburn's 12. Part of the reason may be South Carolina's best shooting performance this season as it hit on 36 of 57 shots (63%).
UP NEXT
Auburn returns home to play rival Alabama on Sunday.
South Carolina starts a two-game road trip at Mississippi State on Sunday.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
