Dawn Staley wanted defensive pressure, veteran leadership and efficient offense.
She got a little bit of it all, as No. 4 seed South Carolina cruised through the first round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament on Friday, thrashing No. 13 seed Belmont, 74-52, in Halton Arena.
Two weeks after being upset in the SEC tournament quarterfinals by Arkansas, USC (22-9) used withering defensive pressure in the second quarter and explosive offense in the third quarter to cruise by the Bruins.
All three of the team’s captains — junior guard Tyasha Harris, senior guard Doniyah Cliney and senior forward Alexis Jennings — scored in double figures, as did the team’s leading scorer, junior guard Te’a Cooper.