No. 5 South Carolina women rout Duke 89-46 for 5th win a row

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Zia Cooke and LeLe Grissett had 12 points each and No. 5 South Carolina took control in the second quarter in an 89-46 victory over Duke on Thursday night.

Cooke and Grissett topped six players in double figures to help the Gamecocks (11—1) run their winning streak to five. Tyasha Harris added 11 points, and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Aliyah Boston and Brea Beal had 10 points apiece.

For Duke (7-4), it was the most lopsided loss in coach Joanne P. McCallie’s 12 seasons and its largest margin of defeat since Virginia, led by current Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley, beat the Blue Devils 93-48 in 1992.

After a ragged first quarter, South Carolina got locked in defensively to take control.

Duke went 1 of 8 from the field and had 10 of its 15 first-half turnovers in the second quarter. Laeticia Amihere got a 13-4 run started with a putback bucket before Grissett followed with a steal and a basket.

Grissett added a block and then a three-point play. Amihere had another bucket and when Victaria Saxton hit an inside shot, the Gamecocks were up 31-18 and cruising.

Grissett finished a perfect performance, going 4 of 4 from the field and hitting her four foul shots.

The Blue Devils looked ready to hang with South Carolina, trailing just 16-14 after the first 10 minutes. But things fell apart the rest of the half was Duke could not find good looks or hold onto the basketball.

Miela Goodchild had 11 points to lead the Blue Devils.

THE BIG PICTURE

Duke: This is not a good stretch for the Blue Devils, who finished with 30 turnovers at South Carolina. They’ve committed 55 miscues in their last two games.

South Carolina: When the Gamecocks are playing this kind of defense, they’re hard to stop. South Carolina picked up 15 steals and held Duke to under 31 percent shooting from the floor.

UP NEXT

Duke: At Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 29.

South Carolina: Hosts No. 25 South Dakota on Sunday.