No. 1 South Carolina women’s basketball defeated No. 20 Maryland 101–93 in its season opener Monday in Paris.
Joyce Edwards scored 23 points to lead five Gamecocks in double figures. She missed both of her first-quarter shots, then made six of eight in the second quarter and totaled 13 points by halftime. South Carolina led 61–33 at halftime after scoring 27 fast-break points and 21 points off turnovers.
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Maryland mounted a second-half rally behind Addi Mack’s 35 points — a career high — including 31 in the second half. The Terrapins cut South Carolina’s lead to 89–80 with 4:30 remaining. Coach Dawn Staley called a timeout, and the Gamecocks responded with a 7–0 run. Maryland closed within 96–90, but free throws by Jordan Lee and Jerzy Robinson secured the win.
Agot Mateer added 20 points for South Carolina. Robinson and Tessa Johnson each scored 15, and Lee had 13. Maryland shot 3-for-15 in the first 10 minutes and trailed 33–13 late in the first quarter.
South Carolina’s Alicia Tournabize — a sophomore who dunked in a game last September — had an early alley-oop chance that resulted in a Robinson 3-pointer. Freshman Justine Loubens, from southern France, entered in the second quarter and recorded a steal and an assist on a transition basket by Edwards.
South Carolina plays No. 12 North Carolina on Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Maryland hosts George Mason on Sunday.
More: NCAAW · South Carolina Gamecocks · Maryland Terrapins
