FORT MYERS, Fla. — It’s hard enough to play No. 4 South Carolina as it is.
But when you’re playing an angry Gamecocks’ team, oh boy.
Purdue found out Saturday at Suncoast Arena when South Carolina crushed the Boilermakers 99-51 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. It was Purdue’s worst women’s basketball loss in school history.
More: South Carolina women’s basketball rebounds from UCLA loss, stuffs Iowa State in Fort Myers Tip-Off
Iowa State found out on Thanksgiving when the Gamecocks drilled the No. 15 Cyclones 76-36.
In Saturday’s win, MiLaysia Fulwiley’s 14 points led seven players in double figures. Ashlyn Watkins and Tessa Johnson added 13 points, Chloe Kitts and Bree Hall 12, Joyce Edwards 11 and Maddy McDaniel 10 for the Gamecocks (7-1).
Purdue’s Destini Lombard led all scorers with 24 points.
Why was South Carolina angry? Last Sunday, the defending national champions, ranked No. 1 in the country, went out to Los Angeles and got humbled 77-62 by UCLA.
“UCLA basically gave us a real good butt whippin’,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “Sometimes, you can either like it or not like it. We took the not-like-it approach.
“We got back to the lab and worked. We were very disciplined on both sides of the basketball floor. We made a concerted effort to rebound, we took the expected shots instead of just shooting threes; and even when we were out of position, we corrected it within the possession.”
At one time, Purdue (4-3) and South Carolina were tied 10-10.
Coming out of a timeout, the Gamecocks went on a 13-2 run to finish the first quarter.
South Carolina kept extending the lead. The Gamecocks led 53-18 at halftime and 78-31 after three quarters.
The Gamecocks’ dominance showed in 30 offensive rebounds, 13 steals and 13 shots either blocked or altered.
About the only thing that didn’t go well for South Carolina was Fulwiley’s halfcourt made shot not counting at the third-quarter buzzer because her release came milliseconds late.
As officials readjusted the scoreboard, it showed South Carolina leading 179-31. For Purdue players, the score must have felt like that.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: South Carolina has little issues with Purdue, routing Boilermakers 99-51
