NCAAW, Game of the Week: No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No. 8 Duke Blue Devils

Thursday, December 5th, The No 8. Duke Blue Devils traveled to Charlotte to face of against The No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks in what would be a defining game for South Carolina.

Following their first loss to UCLA after a perfect 43-game winning streak, The Gamecocks dropped 3 seeds and had many wondering if this team still had any true ground to stand on.

Well sure enough that silenced all the voices in an electric win over Duke at home this past Thursday with an score of 81 to 70.

The Gamecocks had control of the floor for most of the game, commanding a 28-12 lead in the first quarter and a gap that only got bigger as USC led by 25 at one point in the third quarter.

While South Carolina did control the floor for majority of the game, The Blue Devils made numerous runs and fought to stay in this matchup. A 13-1 run to start the fourth quarter had Duke within single digits with six minutes remaining.

Despite Dukes impressive attempt at a comeback early in the fourth, it would not be enough to halt South Carolina as they would go on to reclaim victory in true Gamecock fashion.

For South Carolina, rising new stars marked this game with special attention on junior Chloe Kitts.

Kitts led the way for the Gamecocks with her third double-double of the year. She tied her career high with 21 points to go along with 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Seniors Te-Hina Paopao and Sania Feagin would also both contribute 11 points each, adding to South Carolinas perfect formula.

A huge part of this formulas is USC killer defense strategy. When the Blue Devils made a push to cut the lead in the second quarter, The Gamecocks turned up the pressure, forcing three straight turnovers. Turnovers that included a couple before Duke even crossed half-court. The resulting 8-0 run snuffed out any chance of a comeback for The Duke Blue Devils.

With an impressive defense that kept Duke at bay for a majority of the game allowing USC to turn 18 turnovers into 23 points and Kitt’s star worthy performance on the court, South Carolina looks to get right back into their natural rhythm, shaking off any dust that might have formed.

The Gamecocks now move to 8-1 and will travel to face TCU on Sunday, while the Duke Blue Devils drop to 8-2 and prepare to take on Virginia Tech at home, Sunday December 8th.

Brooke Casey is a third-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her email: bec5457@psu.edu