No. 6 Ohio State falls to No. 2 Gamecocks 88-80

Wilson’s defensive rebound returned the favor with Coates hitting from the right block for a 19-5 lead with 5:21 to play in the first quarter.

South Carolina’s veteran experience showed itself in the final quarter, though, as the Buckeyes struggled to knock down shots. SC led by as much as seven in the fourth quarter, but Ohio State battled back to tie the game at 78 with 2:30 left. Ohio State’s top post players, Alexa Hart and Shayla Cooper, combined for six points. Wilson scored the next three baskets for SC, all on layups, as SC took control.

A’ja Wilson had 20 points and 14 rebounds, Alaina Coates added 17 points and 13 boards as the Gamecocks outlasted the Buckeyes and All-America guard Kelsey Mitchell’s 36 points. A Tiffany Mitchell 3-pointer knotted the game at 55-55, but Kelsey Mitchell answered quickly to quiet the crowd with a long jumper just inside the arc. Coates pulled down Alston’s errant 3-pointer, and again Wilson delivered on the other end to stretch the lead to eight with just 12 seconds on the clock.

The Gamecocks will be back in action on Sunday when they host UNC Greensboro at the Colonial Life Arena at 3 p.m.

While the Gamecocks got outstanding play from their big players, point guard Khadijah Sessions also was solid.

“We need to do a better job of holding our composure”, Alston said. Ohio State finished with just three assists total.

Wilson and Coates each finished with double-doubles, the former netting 20 points and 14 rebounds, the latter 17 and 13. She scored six of the Gamecocks’ first 15 points and said she wants to push tempo more this year. She was the ACC’s top rebounder previous year with Virginia, and helps fill in the loss of Aleighsa Welch to graduation. A turnover closed out the Buckeyes’ hope of a comeback, and Wilson sealed the game with a putback on a pair of missed free throws. She played for Staley at Temple, and is taking a little time off before going overseas to play. “Our posts are our best passers to each other”, Staley said. They drew 29 fouls on the Buckeyes, and fouled out two of the Buckeye forwards. This year teams go directly into the double bonus after the fifth team foul of the quarter, with no more one-and-ones. It remains to be seen how much of an advantage that is for the Gamecocks, who shot 65.7 percent from the line. That was consistent with their percentage from last season, when they shot 67.4 percent. “I know that if it was anywhere else besides here, we’d be the losing team”.

“We aspire to be one of the best programs in the country, and part of that is going out and proving it”, McGuff said.

Ameryst Alston had 23 points for Ohio State, which next faces No. 1 CT on Monday.

Notes: South Carolina’s starting five was Sessions, Mitchell, Tina Roy, Wilson, and Imovbioh.

SC saw this while trying to get to the Final Four previous year.

To be better, which sixth-ranked Ohio State discovered.

Prior to the game, USC players received rings for winning the SEC championship and reaching the Final Four last season.

The Gamecocks made the program’s first Women’s Final Four this past April. Attendance for the game was 16,815.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes could be one of the most experienced teams in the country.

“I thought it was a great basketball game”, Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said. “I like the razor sharp focus you need”.