No. 2 South Carolina beats Texas A&M 90-49 in tuneup before 5-game stretch of ranked foes

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — No. 2 South Carolina beat Texas A&M 90-49 on Thursday in a final tuneup before its biggest stretch of the season.

The Gamecocks (15-1, 3-0 Southeastern) are playing thin after junior forward Ashlyn Watkins suffered a season-ending injury in their last game, but they rolled over the Aggies (8-7, 1-2) with smothering defense. Texas A&M shot a mere 20% in the first half, as South Carolina built a 20-point lead, and finished at 29%.

Freshman Joyce Edwards led the Gamecocks with 19 points and 10 rebounds to complete her seventh double-double. Sole Williams had 10 points to pace the Aggies.

The Gamecocks led by 30 midway through the third quarter. They used the advantage to audition replacements for Watkins, such as Maryam Dauda playing nine minutes in some of her most extended action of the season.

Takeaways

Texas A&M: Aicha Coulibaly scored the team’s first six points, then was swarmed by the Gamecocks’ constantly switching defense. That forced A&M to chuck shots from the perimeter with only two 3-pointers connecting the rest of the game.

South Carolina: Starting on Sunday, the Gamecocks will play five straight teams ranked among the country’s top 18. Three – Texas, LSU and Oklahoma – are in the top 10.

Key moment

Edwards sunk a first-quarter layup to complete a 15-2 South Carolina run. Texas A&M had tied the game at 6 halfway through the first.

Key stat

Coulibaly, who dropped 32 points on South Carolina in last year’s SEC Tournament, hit her first three shots. She made one of her final five.

Up next

Texas A&M: The Aggies are at No. 10 Oklahoma on Jan. 12.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks host No. 5 Texas on Jan. 12.

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