Ta'Niya Latson scored a season-high 32 points and Joyce Edwards 25 as No. 3 South Carolina rolled past North Carolina Central 106-42 on Sunday, despite missing ill starter Tessa Johnson and losing Madina Okot to injury in the first half.
Johnson had 20 points to lead the Gamecocks (9-1) to a 79-77 victory at Louisville this past Thursday, but came down with an illness and was held out. Okot, the 6-foot-6 Mississippi State transfer averaging 15 points and 11
rebounds, came off the floor midway through the second quarter and did not return.
The absences had South Carolina off balance early on and kept the Eagles (1-8) hanging around longer than some in the crowd expected.
North Carolina Central hit three of its first four shots to lead 7-4 before South Carolina got going behind Edwards to close the first quarter with a 22-7 run. Edwards had had two three-point plays and 12 points during that stretch as the Gamecocks outscored North Carolina Central 22-10 in the paint to take control.
The Gamecocks came out with some fire after the break on both sides of the ball. Latson hit a pair of 3-pointers as South Carolina opened with a 25-0 run. The Eagles missed their first 12 shots of the period and ended up getting outscored 28-2.
Tierney Coleman led North Carolina Central with 14 points.
South Carolina's defense forced 36 turnovers and had 10 blocks against the Eagles.
South Carolina's Okot came in leading the country with seven double-doubles. She was not on the bench when the team returned in the second half, coming out of the locker room midway through the third quarter. Okot finished with 10 points and a rebound shy of another double-double in 11 first-half minutes.
North Carolina Central goes to High Point on Dec. 14.
South Carolina hosts Penn State on Dec. 14.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
