WBB: LeLe Grissett sparks South Carolina win
#1 South Carolina (18-1, 6-1) returned from an eight-day layoff showing no signs of rust, only fresh legs in a dominating 85-30 win over Vanderbilt (10-10, 1-5).
South Carolina was in control from the start, leading by double digits by the end of the first quarter. The only drama was whether Aliyah Boston would notch her 12th consecutive double-double. She had eight points and ten rebounds with three minutes left in the third quarter. South Carolina tried to force the ball to her inside, with no luck. It continued into the start of the fourth, before Dawn Staley finally took an exhausted Boston out of the game with eight points, 12 rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks.
But a Vanderbilt foul gave South Carolina a baseline inbounds and Staley put Boston back in. South Carolina inbounded to Boston, who drove through contact for a layup and foul. The crowd went wild and Kamilla Cardoso was at the scorers table to replace Boston before the ball was through the net. Staley wrestled with the risk of injury from putting Boston back in.
“It’s hard,” she said. “She was a little frustrated, but when she got it and came and sat back down she said, ‘Thank you.’ She wants it.”
LeLe Grissett started in place of Zia Cooke, who was held out as a precaution. Grissett scored seven in the first five minutes and led all scorers with 14 points. It was her highest-scoring game since her junior season, and the third highest point total of her career.
“When (Staley) told me I was starting I knew I had to pick up and fill in the spot that Zia always filled in,” Grissett said. “We’ve been working so hard. The work actually paid off and it showed tonight.”
Photos: Gamecocks demolish Vandy
South Carolina got balanced scoring with four players in double figures and eight players with at least seven points. Bree Hall scored a career-high ten points. Saniya Rivers tied her career high with seven points, and played very well in stretches at point guard.
The Gamecocks had one of their best offensive performances of the season. They shot a season-high 58.2% from the floor, 44.4 % (8-18) from three, 76.5% from the line, had 20 assists and just 11 turnovers. Grissett credited the efficiency to burpees.
“Them burpees change your whole mindset,” Grissett said. “The burpees pushed us to play even harder because a turnover is a burpee. It started in practice where we had to practice hard and a turnover is a burpee.”
Staley said Grissett didn’t enjoy the burpees as much as she pretended to.
“She texted me after the first couple days of burpees and said we were hazing them,” Staley said. “I said it’s not hazing if I’m doing them with you.”
Defensively, South Carolina held Vanderbilt to season lows for points allowed (30), points in a half (15, both halves), shooting percentage (20.4%), and rebounds (19, while South Carolina had 48). The 30 points is also the fewest South Carolina has ever given up to an SEC opponent.
“I’ve been better, but that’s okay,” Vanderbilt’s Shea Ralph said after the game. “They were incredible and it was fun to be on the court with them tonight.”
Notes:
Monday was South Carolina's "We Back Pat" game. Players from both teams wore special "We Back Pat" warmup shirts, and both coaching staffs wore “We Back Pat” shirts. … … The Gamecocks debuted their new fauxback uniforms: white pinstripes on garnet with a script “Gamecocks” across the front. … Prior to the game, Destanni Henderson was recognized for scoring 1,000 career points. … Zia Cooke was held out with a lower left leg injury, the first game she missed in her career. Cooke's consecutive games started streak ended at 82, she was tied with Aliyah Boston for second all-time, but Boston moved into sole possession of second place. Tiffany Mitchell has the program record with 103 consecutive starts. … Everyone except Elysa Wesolek and Olivia Thompson played. Destiny Littleton played just two minutes and hit an open three. She gave way to the young players in the second half. … Destanni Henderson had nine points and four assists. … Brinae Alexander led Vanderbilt with 10 points. … Announced attendance was 11,329. … South Carolina’s next game is Thursday against Ole Miss. The game tips at 6:00 pm and will air on ESPN.