TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — No. 4 South Carolina used a strong fourth quarter to stifled any Alabama comeback bid late on Sunday.
Aliyah Boston had 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Gamecocks to a 93-78 win over Alabama on Sunday night.
Freshman Zia Cooke scored a team high 20 points, 11 in the second half, for the Gamecocks (14-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference).
South Carolina’s size down low was too much for Alabama, out rebounding the Crimson Tide (10-5, 0-2) by 42-33 and blocking six shots to Alabama’s zero.
“I thought Alabama dictated the speed of the game, took the air out of the ball and prevented us from scoring the way we like to,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “In the fourth, we stretched it out.”
Alabama's Jordan Lewis scored a game-high 21 points and added six assists and seven rebounds.
Destanni Henderson scored 17 points for South Carolina, which had five double-digit scorers.
Senior duo Tyasha Harris and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan scored 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Alabama’s Jasmine Walker knocked down a three-pointer to cut the Gamecocks lead to eight points on the first possession of the fourth quarter. Harris responded in 28 seconds with a deep three-pointer of her own. Alabama would not get the deficit back to eight again in the game.
“My teammates were in my ear the entire time my shot wasn’t falling,” Harris said. “We knew this would be a game of runs so we tried to get in transition as much as possible.”
The win extended South Carolina’s winning streak to eight games. Alabama had its five-game home winning streak snapped.
“We don’t look at it as a losing streak, we’ve played tough teams but we’re fine,” Alabama coach Kristy Curry said. “The worst thing we can do is be negative.”
BIG PICTURE
South Carolina: The Gamecocks still stand as the second-highest one-loss team in country behind No. 2 Oregon and have established themselves as the favorites to win the SEC early in the season. Alabama: Three of the Crimson Tide’s next four games are against current Top 25 teams.
STAR WATCH
South Carolina: 2018-19 All-SEC Second Team selection Tyasha Harris missed all six of her shots in the first half but dished out six assists. All 14 of her points came in the second half.
Alabama: The Crimson Tide’s second leading scorer Jasmine Walker scored 13 points, 11 in the second half, and knocked down three shots behind-the-arc.
TIP-INS
Alabama: The Crimson Tide bench outscored their opponents in all 14 games this season but were outscored 30-26 on Sunday.
Alabama are in the top-five in the SEC in both free throws attempted and made and shot 69 percent (20-29) from the line in the game.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks’ Herbert Harrigan posted a game-high 19 plus-minus in 30 minutes of action.
South Carolina enjoyed a 22-point advantage, 28-6, in fast break points over Alabama.
UP NEXT
South Carolina will host No. 20 Arkansas on Thursday in a Top 25 matchup to try and extend that eight-game winning streak.
Alabama will host No. 13 Kentucky, coming off an 80-76 win over No. 22 Tennessee, on the same day to try and earn the team's first top 25 win of the season.
