BY PETE IACOBELLI
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Joyce Edwards had a career-high 29 points and four blocks as No. 3 South Carolina used a strong third quarter to beat Penn State 95-55 on Sunday.
The Gamecocks (10-1) had just eight players and were missing 6-foot-6 starter Madina Okot and reserve freshman Agot Makeer. But behind Edwards scoring inside, South Carolina started 19-3 after the break to take control over the Lady Lions (6-4).
Ta’Niya Latson added 18 points while two other starters, Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson, scored 15 points apiece.
Edwards, a sophomore, had a basket in the final period to surpass her previous best of 28 against Florida in February.
South Carolina announced a short time before tipoff that leading rebounder and shot blocker Okot and bench player Makeer would miss the game. Okot, who’s averaged 14.8 points and 11.1 rebounds, had started the first 10 games before missing this one against the Lady Lions.
Okot leads the country with seven games with double figures in points and rebounds.
Okot had 10 points and nine rebounds in last Sunday’s 106-42 victory over North Carolina Central. But she left midway through the second quarter and did not return. Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said after that win that Okot had felt ill during the game and that kept her from playing in the second half.
Without Okot, the Gamecocks used reserves Adhel Tac and Maryam Dauda to front the Lady Lions top scorer in Gracie Merkle, who came in averaging more than 22 point a game. She had two first-half fouls and played just nine minutes as South Carolina led 46-34 at the break.
Merkle finished with nine points and nine rebounds before fouling out. Kiyomi McMiller led Penn State with 22 points.
Up next
Penn State plays VCU on Saturday at 4 The Culture Holiday Hoops Classic in Richmond, Va.
South Carolina plays at USF on Thursday night.
