By james art 
Knoxville, Tenn. (AP)- # 2 South Carolina Gamecocks extended its winning series to 15 games after defeating No. 18 Tennessee Lady Volunteers 70-63 on Monday night in the center of Food City. Freshman Joyce Edwards led Gamecocks with 18 points, continuing its impressive shape, as South Carolina remains unbeaten in the Southeast Conference (SEC).
With this victory, Gamecocks improved their record to 20-1 as a whole and 8-0 within SEC, showing their dominance against the ranked opponents. Milania Fulvilly contributed significantly with 11 points, along with her teammates, Te-Hina Paopa, Chloe Kits and Raven Johnson, each of whom added 10 points to the dashboard.
For Tennessee, the return of the head coach Kim Caldwell, who missed the previous week after the birth of her son, was marked with enthusiasm by fans as she received a standing ovation. Unfortunately, Caldwell’s presence was not enough to displace the tides for Lady Vols, which is now on a three-time losing series, falling to 15-5 as a whole and 3-5 in SEC.
The game unfolded with Lady Vols initially took responsibility, as Talaisia Cooper scored to give Tennessee the upper hand at 20-17 at the end of the second quarter. Still, South Carolina quickly regained control, taking an impressive 18-1 mileage before half, which prompted them to lead 36-28 in Midway Point. Gamecocks’ protective pressure turned out to be too much for Tennessee, who only shoots 30.7% of the terrain and fighting beyond the arc, converting only 3 of 26 tries with three points.
Although lagging with as many as 22 points behind, Tennessee struggles to surround South Carolina 24-13 in the fourth quarter, as Gamecocks seems to be struggling to maintain his energy. Ruby Whitehorn led Lady Vols with 12 points, supported by Cooper, who added 11.
Edwards’ result on the court was emphasized by its effective presentation of eight for the thirteen arrows. This marks her fourth consecutive game, which led her team at the point and her ninth in general this season.
“Every game is important and we showed why we are considered contenders tonight,” Edwards said after the match. Her remarks captured the essence of South Carolina’s determination as they went through the challenges presented by Tennessee.
As Caldwell’s return was expected to rejuvenate Lady Volls, the presentation of the court expressed his current struggles. After leading the game early and possessing promising moments, Tennessee failed to take advantage of his chances, which led to their biggest goal game this season.
Caldwell went to the media after the game, stating: “We fought hard, but we need to finish plays. We cannot lose sight of the basics, especially against teams like South Carolina. “This recognition of their shortcomings indicated their need for adjustment as the season progresses.
Considering the statistics, South Carolina narrowly aheads Tennessee as a whole with 46% shooting efficiency, contrasting sharply with 30.7% of Lady Vols. Gamecocks also dominated the struggles, stating 39 of Tennessee 30, which emphasized their physical presence on the court.
After the match, Gamecocks Dawn Stale’s chief trainer reflected in the game: “We didn’t start well, but we found our pace. Joyce becomes reliable for us and we need to build this inertia. “Staley’s comments emphasized the stability of her team and the depth in the list, citing the efforts of the younger players to activate themselves against the background of pressure.
Key upcoming matches for both teams, with South Carolina striving to maintain its invincible SEC series as they face anchoon on February 2, while Tennessee strives to regroup for their next Missouri match the same day.
Gamecocks will continue to be one of the teams to watch as the season is progressing, especially with their current form and increasing confidence, led by performances such as Edwards’ and the cohesive efforts of the team against their rivals.
In general, this match not only showed the Gamecocks manipulation, but raised serious questions about Lady Vols as they seem to bounce off this disappointing area. The dynamics of this year’s SEC game hold fans eagerly await the next set of competitions, where each game can dictate who appears as a top championship contenders.