Four Gamecocks score in double digits, take down Gators

COLUMBIA, SC (AP) – Zia Cooke scored 22 points and No. 1 South Carolina won its 32nd straight game, 87-56 over Florida on Saturday night.

The Gamecocks (26-0, 13-0 Southeastern Conference) showed no hangover from last Sunday’s 88-64 victory over third-ranked LSU and moved closer to their seventh regular-season league title under coach Dawn Staley.

South Carolina led 29-15 after the first quarter and 51-21 at halftime. Reigning Associated Press player of the year Aliyah Boston played just 15 minutes for the scoring tilt, finishing with four points and six rebounds.

Nina Rickards scored 16 points for the Gators (14-12, 3-10), who have struggled in the SEC since losing leading scorer Zippy Broughton in the preseason.

Cooke was the catalyst for the Gamecocks, making 8 of 11 shots while fellow senior Brea Beal had 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Cooke and Beal combined for all eight of South Carolina’s 3-pointers – Cooke with five and Beal with three.

Forward Victaria Saxton had 11 points, and center Kamilla Cardoso pulled down 11 rebounds. Freshman Ashlyn Watkins had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Noted

• The Gamecocks had a strong first half, shooting 65.0 percent from the field (13-of-20) in the first period and then outscored the Gators 22-6 in the second.
• South Carolina was dominant behind the arc, shooting 47.1 percent (8-of-17) for the best 3-point percentage of the season in conference play.
• Zia Cooke posted his fifth 20+ point game of the season, making 13 of his 22 points in the first half, finishing 5-of-7 (71.4%) from 3-point range.
• Brea Beal had a complete night, going 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the arc to end the night with a season-high 14 points, her second game of triple figures in the past five outings, and added seven rebounds, team- a high of three assists and two blocks.
• Ashlyn Watkins was a force in the fourth quarter, putting up nine of her 12 total points and 10 rebounds to get her second career double-double in addition to blocks, steals, and assists all in just 16 minutes of play.
• Victaria Saxton’s 11 points was her fifth double-double of the season, contributing five points to a 20-2 run in the second quarter to extend the lead to 32.