South Carolina guard Zia Cooke (1) drives against Mississippi guard Elauna Eaton (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Oxford, Miss., Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
AP
Another win in the Magnolia State for the Gamecocks.
No. 1 South Carolina (27-0, 14-0 SEC) survived an upset scare Ole Miss on Sunday inside Sandy and John Black Pavilion, with a 64-57 overtime win.
South Carolina’s 8-2 run to open the extra period gave it separation from the Rebels. Zia Cooke scored five of her 24 points in overtime.
The victory extended the program’s win streak to 33 games.
Both teams got out to a slow start offensively in the first half, shooting a combined 22-of-63 from the field. South Carolina and Ole Miss entered the game as the No. 1 and No. 2 defenses in the SEC.
South Carolina struggled to make shots, and getting the ball to Aliyah Boston proved difficult as well for most of the game. The Rebels trailed by just one point entering the fourth quarter.
Baker cut the lead to one at the 2:34 mark in the fourth quarter. She then gave the Rebels the lead with a midrange jumper one minute later.
Boston missed three of her four free throws in the final minute of the fourth quarter, but made the last one to tie the game at 55. USC had one last chance to win the game at the buzzer, but the Ole Miss defense held strong and the game went to overtime.
South Carolina will face Tennessee in Knoxville on Thursday. The Volunteers are third in the SEC standings.
NEXT SOUTH CAROLINA WBB GAMES
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Thursday: at Tennessee, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
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Feb. 26: home vs. Georgia, noon (ESPN2)
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TBD: SEC Tournament
Jeremiah Holloway covers South Carolina women’s basketball and football for The State. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, he is from Greensboro, N.C. and an avid basketball fan. Holloway joined The State in August 2022.