Columbia, SC—Inside Colonial Life Arena it would seem like women’s basketball for the Gamecocks is business as usual. South Carolina leads the nation in blocks with 10.3 per game. This would seem a lot like the team from last season, but this line-up is very different.
Head Coach Dawn Staley decided to start Freshman Tessa Johnson against the (3-6) Morgan State Bears. Tessa Johnson had a career-high 16 points and MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 14 as No. 1 South Carolina (8-0) made easy work of overmatched Morgan State 104-38 on Wednesday night.
The Gamecocks improved to 8-0 for the third straight season.
South Carolina had six players in double figures, with Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson scoring 12 apiece and Kamilla Cardoso along with Sania Feagin each finishing with 10. Raven Johnson continues to show the country she has improved her shot, and she will let it go. The Sophomore from Atlanta shot 2-2 from beyond the arc. Chloe Kitts had a game-high 14 rebounds, the best performance of her career.
“Tessa can play. She really has a high IQ,” Staley said. “I thought her injury kind of put her back a little bit, now she’s fully healthy.”
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley, seeking a more consistent start for her young team, tinkered with a new lineup. Point guard Raven Johnson, the starter for the previous seven games, came off the bench along with center Cardoso, also a seven-game starter. Coach Staley also started senior Center Sakima Walker.
The altered line-up provided lots of positive optimism for the future of South Carolina Women’s basketball. The Gamecocks have a lot to clean up as the season grows. Including haven turned the ball over 16 times against Morgan State. Despite the miscues the Gamecocks look to be potentially deeper than ever with the full roster rotation on display.
Tarmaria Rumph had 11 points to lead Morgan State.
“With the youth and kids coming out the portal, you got to put it together like an octopus. Take the tentacles, what we did right, what we did wrong,” Morgan State coach Ed Davis said.
UP NEXT:
Morgan State returns home Saturday to play Maryland-Baltimore County.
South Carolina plays No. 11 Utah in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Sunday.
