BY STEVE REED
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Te-Hina Paopao and Chloe Kitts each scored 11 points, and No. 2 South Carolina rolled past No. 5 Texas 67-50 for its 11th straight win on Sunday in front of a sold out crowd of 18,000 at Colonial Life Arena.
Joyce Edwards added 10 points for the Gamecocks (16-1, 4-0 SEC), who became the only team in the nation with 13 wins against Division I teams with winning records. Raven Johnson added eight points and 10 rebounds as coach Dawn Staley improve to 14-3 all-time against Texas coach Vic Schaefer.
Kyla Oldacare led Texas (16-2, 3-1 SEC) with 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Preseason All-American guard Madison Booker was limited to seven points on 3-of-19 shooting for the Longhorns, which had their nine-game winning streak snapped. The sophomore guard came into the game averaging 15.3 points per game.
South Carolina shot 71% from the field in the first half to build a 39-22 lead, while holding Booker to 1-of-14 shooting from the field.
While Booker was struggling to get anything to fall, the Gamecocks couldn’t miss early on.
They made their first four shots from the field and first three from the free throw line to take a 12-5 lead, setting the tone for the game. The Gamecocks lead ballooned to 19 late in the second quarter when Raven Johnson knocked down a mid-range jumper.
Takeaways
Texas: Oldacare was a force inside with nine rebounds in her first six minutes before picking up her second foul late in the first quarter.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks won despite 22 turnovers, but their shooting and defense bailed them out.
Key moment
After Justice Carlton cut South Carolina’s lead to seven midway through the second quarter, the Gamecocks closed the half on a 24-7 run getting a big boost from Edwards.
Up next
Both teams are in action Thursday night as Texas visits Auburn and South Carolina travels to No. 18 Alabama.
