Fulwiley scores 17, No. 2 South Carolina uses 17-0 second-half run to beat Missouri, 83-52
Missouri's Ashton Judd (24) tries the know the ball from South Carolina's Sania Feagin, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Columbia, Mo. Credit: AP/L.G. Patterson
COLUMBIA, Mo. — MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 17 points to lead South Carolina's balanced offense, and the second-ranked Gamecocks used a big run in the third and fourth quarters to pull away for an 83-52 victory over Missouri in their SEC opener Thursday night.
Te-Hina Paopao and Ashlyn Watkins added 11 points apiece, and Tessa Johnson had 10, helping the Gamecocks (13-1, 1-0) beat the Tigers (11-5, 0-1) for the fourth straight time and win their eighth straight overall since a loss to UCLA on Nov. 24.
South Carolina, which has struggled in past years at Mizzou Arena, led 36-26 at the break and was still clinging to a 48-37 advantage after the Tigers' Ashton Judd hit a 3-pointer with about 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. But after Paopao was fouled by Nyah Wilson at the other end, her two free throws started a 17-0 run that stretched into the fourth.
Judd led the Tigers with 15 points. Grace Slaughter finished with 13.
Takeaways
South Carolina showcased its depth and scoring versatility in getting 57 points off the bench.
Missouri was just 18 of 57 from the field (32%), and rarely will that kind of clip knock off the Gamecocks.
Key moment
The Tigers were hanging around until Paopao was fouled late in the third quarter. Her two free throws began an 11-0 run to end the quarter — one that eventually reached 17-0 — and effectively put the game away.
Missouri's Angelique Ngalakulondi, right, South Carolina's Chloe Kitts (21) and Sania Feagin (20) battle for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Columbia, Mo. Credit: AP/L.G. Patterson
Key stat
Missouri had just two points on a fastbreak in the game.
Up next
South Carolina concludes its two-game road swing to open SEC play against Mississippi State on Sunday. Missouri continues its tough start to conference play when it visits No. 19 Alabama the same day.
