By Jalon DixonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSouth Carolina shook off a slow start and rode dominant performances from Madina Okot and Joyce Edwards to an 81-66 win over Duke on day one of the Players Era Championship.
The Gamecocks (6-0) were down 15-7 late in the first quarter and struggled to establish any rhythm in the paint. Duke, meanwhile, opened shooting nearly 50% and briefly controlled the tempo. But South Carolina closed the quarter on a 7-0 run, then broke the game open with a decisive 17-0 surge spanning halftime.
From there, the frontcourt took over.
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Okot and Edwards Control the Game
...Okot tied her career-high with 23 points and added 13 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks. Her energy in transition jump-started the offense after the early lull.
“We all know Madina’s a great player,” Edwards said. “She’s finally coming into her true self. She’s dominant in the paint, defense, and offense.”
Edwards matched her impact with 22 points, six rebounds, three steals, and a career-high-tying six assists. Her decision-making in the half court kept Duke at arm’s length.
“You just see the floor,” Edwards said. “When you drive by somebody, you know help is coming. You see where it’s coming from, and you pass it.”
Head coach Dawn Staley said the turning point was simply getting back to their identity.
“We almost fell for the bait taking jump shot after jump shot,” Staley said. “If you can get by somebody, go. If you can’t, kick it out and get ahead of the possession.”
Gamecocks Overwhelm Duke Inside
...South Carolina finished 47% from the field and outscored Duke 58-28 in the paint, with 69.8% of their total points coming at the rim. Their 15 offensive rebounds generated 14 second-chance points, giving them 13 more shot attempts than the Blue Devils.
Duke (3-4) was led by Toby Fournier’s 16 points, followed by Riley Nelson with 14 and Ashlon Jackson with 11. But Carolina’s size, pace, and pressure buried the momentum from the Blue Devils’ promising opening stretch.
The win sends No. 2 South Carolina into Thursday’s championship matchup against No. 4 Texas. Duke will face No. 3 UCLA in the third-place game.
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