In the bitter rivalry between South Carolina and Clemson, women’s basketball has been a constant for nearly a decade now — Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks consistently overwhelm the Tigers.
On Thursday night, USC continued that dominance, claiming its ninth consecutive win in the series, 69-57. But a disastrous third quarter and sloppy play by USC made things stressful late at Colonial Life Arena.
From the start, Clemson (2-1) and new coach Amanda Butler frustrated Dawn Staley’s squad with stifling defense that the Gamecocks (2-0) struggled to penetrate. That, combined with poor shooting and turnovers, led to a 5:21 stretch in the first quarter without a single point for USC.