COLUMBIA, S.C. — Ta’Niya Latson scored 21 points, Tessa Johnson added 20 and No. 2 South Carolina ended No. 5 Vanderbilt’s unbeaten start to the season with a 103-74 victory Sunday.
The Commodores had won a school-record 20 straight games to start the season but had no answer for South Carolina, which has won 19 straight over Vanderbilt.
The Gamecocks (20-2, 6-1 SEC) came in off an 94-82 overtime loss at No. 16 Oklahoma this past Thursday and right from the start took it out on the Commodores (20-1, 6-1).
South Carolina went on an 11-2 burst less than two minutes in and gradually built the lead to 21 points in the second quarter. The Gamecocks’ defense did much of the damage, forcing 16 first-half turnovers against a Vanderbilt team averaging 12.5 per game this season.
The Commodores gave themselves a chance right before halftime as Mikayla Blakes had a three-point play with 3.5 seconds left and — after South Carolina tried a court-length football pass that went straight out of bounds — Aubrey Galvan hit a 3 as time expired to cut the lead to 11 at the break.
Vanderbilt opened with two straight baskets in the third quarter to draw within 55-48. That’s when South Carolina went on a 15-2 burst to take control for good.
Blakes, the SEC’s leading scorer, had 23 points to lead Vanderbilt. She also had five of her team’s 20 turnovers, which matched a season high.
Madina Okot finished with 17 points and Joyce Edwards had 16 to give South Carolina five double-digit scorers against a team that was holding opponents to an average of 58 points this season.
It was South Carolina’s second SEC win against a top-five opponent in the past four contests after defeating fourth-ranked Texas 68-65 on Jan. 15.
