Defending Champion South Carolina Too Much for Women's Basketball

Thursday, December 21

Liacouras Center

7:00 p.m.

Temple University

8-4

South Carolina

11-1

South Carolina

Temple

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Defending Champion South Carolina Too Much for Women's Basketball

12.21.17 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

PHILADELPHIA -- The defending NCAA Champion, #4/5 South Carolina, proved to be too much for the Temple women's basketball team, as the Owls fell 87-60 on Thursday night at the Liacouras Center. The loss dips Temple to 8-4, while South Carolina improves to 11-1.

KEYS TO THE GAME
> South Carolina shot 50% or better in all four quarters, finishing at 53.7% from the field for the game.
> The Owls were held to just 26.7% from the field, but shot 50% (8-16) from three.
> The Gamecocks held a slight 47-46 edge on the glass, but had a 30-18 advantage in the first half.
> SC's A'ja Wilson neared a triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and eight blocks.

DUPREE HONORED
> Temple retired all-time great Candice Dupree's number in a ceremony at halftime, just the second number retired in program history.
> Dupree was also officially inducted in the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame, after missing her induction last year due to the WNBA season.

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
> Temple freshman Mia Davis tallied her fourth double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, making all three of her shots from long range.
> Senior Tanaya Atkinson finished just shy of a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds, also adding a team-high six assists.
> Freshman Emani Mayo chipped in with 13 points, while sophomore Shantay Taylor had eight points and six rebounds.
> Junior Deja Reynolds added five points and five rebounds to round out the box score.

FIRST QUARTER
> South Carolina shot 52.4% from the field to take a commanding 26-9 lead after one.
> The Gamecocks struck first before Temple answered with a Mayo bucket.
> After a 7-2 SC run, the Owls cut it to 16-9 on a Mayo three.
> From there South Carolina ended the frame with 10 unanswered points.

SECOND QUARTER
> South Carolina pushed the advantage to 46-20, shooting 50% in the frame.
> After the Gamecocks pushed the advantage to 29-9, Temple went on a 7-3 run to make it 32-16.
> From there, South Carolina closed the frame by scoring 14 of the final 18 points.

THIRD QUARTER
> The Gamecocks shot a game-best 62.5% (10-16) in the frame, outscoring Temple 24-19 to lead 70-39 after three.
> SC pushed its advantage to the largest of the game late in the quarter -- a 36-point lead.
> Temple responded with a Deja Reynolds jumper and a Tanaya Atkinson three to cut it back to 31.

FOURTH QUARTER
> Despite SC shooting 50% (7-14) and Temple shooting just 30.4% (7-23), Temple out-scored the Gamecocks 21-17 to set the final to 87-60.
> Temple opened the fourth quarter with a 6-1 surge, but South Carolina quickly answered with a 9-2 surge.
> The Owls got hot from three, with Davis making two, and Emani Mayo adding another trey, to get the lead down to 26, but SC finished out the win.

UP NEXT
> Temple is idle until December 30, when the Owls open conference play at UCF at 2:00 p.m.