COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Joyce Edwards had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Madina Okot added her 22nd double-double this season with 15 points and 15 rebounds and top-seeded South Carolina advanced to its 12th straight Sweet 16 with a 101-61 victory over No. 9 seed Southern California in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday night.
The Gamecocks (33-3) opened with a 13-0 run, were ahead 51-21 at halftime and cruised to their 18th straight NCAA win at home. They’ll get a rematch at the Sacramento 4 regional when they face fourth-seeded Oklahoma, one of two teams to defeat South Carolina this season.
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley believes her team has found its resolve since losing the SEC Tournament championship to Texas two weeks ago.
“I think we’re starting to connect,” Staley said. “I do think the excitement of playing in the NCAA Tournament has lifted them to play connected basketball. They know the stakes are high, it takes a win to advance and it’s bringing out the ultra competitiveness in them.”
South Carolina ran past USC, which had advanced to the Elite Eight the past two seasons led by the superstar JuJu Watkins, who tore her ACL in last year’s NCAA Tournament. This time, all Watkins could do was watch from her seat on the bench as her teammates had no answers for the Gamecocks.
Okot, the 6-foot-6 Mississippi State transfer, had 10 points and 11 rebounds before halftime while fifth-year point guard Raven Johnson, playing her final game at Colonial Life Arena, reached 1,000 career points in the opening half.
Freshman Agot Makeeer, among six South Carolina players in double figures, had 15 points and four of her team’s 17 steals. She and Johnson shared prime defensive responsibility on USC leading scorer Jazzy Davidson, who 16 points but was held to five baskets in 15 attempts.
Davidson, who had 31 points in her team’s opening-round 71-67 OT win over Clemson on Saturday.
“It is really special and I think it’s going to be exciting going forward,” Makeer said. “I’m taking it in right now and I’m excited to go forward” in the tournament.
South Carolina’s defense locked down hard on the Trojans, forcing a season high 27 turnovers.
Londynn Jones led USC with 20 points.
The Trojans lost for fifth time in their past six games with this being the largest margin of defeat in their NCAA Tournament history, surpassing an 85-51 loss to Duke in the second round in 2006.
USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb was disappointed with her team’s play during much of the first half.
“You know, you can lose and you can not necessarily be as good as a team, but I thought we were conceding some things,” she said. “You don’t need to throw the ball to the other team.”
Johnson’s night
Every move Raven Johnson made was cheered by the fans who’ve filled Colonial Life Arena during her five seasons. Johnson played her 150th game at South Carolina where the team has gone 142-8 in that stretch.
Johnson took a last, long walk around the court with Staley leading the crowd in chants of “Raven, Raven.”
Johnson appreciated the praise, but is focused on what’s next for the Gamecocks.
“I’m worried about winning a national championship,” Johnson said. “That’s the main goal, so, yeah, whatever comes with it, comes with it.”
Up next
South Carolina will face Oklahoma, one of two teams it lost to this season (Texas beat the Gamecocks twice), in Sacramento on Saturday.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness