COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A'ja Wilson had 20 points and 14 rebounds, Alaina Coates added 17 points and 13 rebounds and No. 2 South Carolina withstood Kelsey Mitchell's 36 points to beat No. 6 Ohio State 88-80 on Friday night.
The marquee matchup played out more like an NCAA tournament contest than a season opener. The Buckeyes held a 68-65 lead with 8:47 left on Mitchell's 3-pointer. That's when the Gamecocks' height in the 6-foot-4 Coates and 6-foot-5 Wilson took control.
The duo scored the Gamecocks' last 16 points and Coates twice blocked Shayla Cooper's close-in shots with Ohio State still in contention the final two minutes.