Columbia, S.C. — Alabama and South Carolina opened the new year by tipping off SEC play, with the No. 3 Gamecocks delivering an 83–57 victory over the No. 24 Crimson Tide on Thursday night.
South Carolina did so without standout transfer guard Taniya Latson, who was sidelined with an apparent left foot injury. In her place, freshman Agot Makeer earned the start, continuing to build trust from head coach Dawn Staley early in the season.
The Gamecocks set the tone immediately. After controlling the opening tip, South Carolina scored the game’s first basket on its second possession and never looked back. Veterans Tessa Johnson, Raven Johnson, and Joyce Edwards accounted for the first three field goals as the Gamecocks jumped out to an early lead.
Alabama kept pace midway through the first quarter, trimming the deficit to two behind a pair of three-pointers from freshman Ace Austin and senior Ta’Mia Scott. Still, South Carolina closed the period strong and led 24–15 after one.
Raven Johnson was electric in the opening quarter, scoring 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Her flurry included a driving layup to seize momentum and a wide-open corner three off a perfectly timed pass from Edwards. South Carolina shot 60 percent from the floor in the opening frame, while Alabama managed just 33 percent.
The Crimson Tide found rhythm in the second quarter, spreading the scoring across multiple players. Diana Collins drilled a buzzer-beating three to pull Alabama within six heading into halftime. Jessica Timmons, a redshirt senior, led the charge with 10 points in the period, while Alabama’s defense protected the paint effectively, recording six blocks in the half.
Despite the surge, South Carolina maintained control and carried a 40–34 lead into the break.
Any hopes of an Alabama comeback were quickly challenged after halftime. South Carolina opened the third quarter on a 3–0 run, prompting Crimson Tide head coach Kristy Curry to burn a timeout just two minutes in.
From there, Joyce Edwards took over on both ends of the floor. Her disruptive defense led to turnovers that fueled fast-break opportunities, including a highlight euro-step finish at the rim. Edwards poured in 11 points in the third quarter alone as South Carolina stretched its lead.
The Gamecocks clamped down defensively, holding Alabama scoreless over the final five minutes of the third. Entering the fourth, South Carolina firmly had control.
That dominance continued in the final period as the Gamecocks’ defense forced repeated turnovers and shut down any chance of a Crimson Tide rally. South Carolina finished with multiple players scoring in double figures, led by Edwards, who posted a game-high 25 points.
The victory moved South Carolina to 1–0 in SEC play and improved its record to 14–1, while Alabama fell to 14–1 overall.
Collins led Alabama with 17 points, shooting an efficient 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
After the game, Staley credited Alabama’s execution despite the final margin.
“They’re truly better than what the score says,” Staley said. “They execute their offense well and forced us to make defensive adjustments at halftime.”
Alabama will continue conference play at home against Arkansas, while South Carolina hits the road to face Florida.
