South Carolina gains confidence and momentum with dominant victory over Arkansas

In a game that everyone expected, South Carolina women’s basketball crushed SEC bottom-dweller Arkansas 95-55, offering a much-needed break after their heavy defeat to UConn. The win was a contrast to the high-stakes games they’ve faced recently—Arkansas’ lackluster performance didn’t match the intensity of their previous matchups, making the game feel more like a scrimmage.

Head coach Dawn Staley had emphasized the importance of regaining their identity, something the team had struggled with in their losses. “A common theme is we just didn’t play a resemblance of who we are,” Staley reflected. “In the losses, the common theme has been — whether people forced us to play that way or it was self-inflicted — it really just wasn’t us, and we have to get back to us.”

Defensively, South Carolina certainly looked more like their usual selves. The Gamecocks effectively shut down Arkansas’ leading scorer, Izzy Higgenbottom, limiting her to just 10 points on 17 attempts. The defensive strategy, including tight perimeter coverage and strong help defense, particularly from MiLaysia Fulwiley, proved to be too much for Higgenbottom. Post-game, Arkansas head coach Mike Neighbors credited Fulwiley for her performance, calling her the main reason his star player struggled. “That’s a compliment,” Fulwiley said. “I take pride in my defense and I work really hard on it. Just for him to say that means that people see it and see that I’m really trying and putting effort in.”

Offensively, the Gamecocks were always going to dominate. Arkansas, ranking dead last in SEC scoring defense, presented little challenge in that regard. But the game did provide moments of individual brilliance. Bree Hall set a season-high with three-pointers, Tessa Johnson hit back-to-back threes after struggling in recent games, and even Maryam Dauda made an impact, contributing nine points and eight rebounds against her former team. Staley was particularly impressed with Dauda, noting, “I thought she looked more relaxed than at any time during the season.”

Despite their immense talent, the Gamecocks appeared to benefit from a confidence boost in this game. The players who had struggled with their shots saw them fall, and Fulwiley displayed her signature moves around the basket, moves that Joyce Edwards called ‘mind-blowing.’ This game, while one of the easier contests of the season, gave South Carolina some much-needed momentum heading into a tough stretch.

“I thought we were more like ourselves when it came to just the toughness piece of it,” Staley said. “The extra effort on the board, the loose balls, I thought we wanted to win all of them. There weren’t any that we allowed to just happen without some resistance.”

While this victory will likely be forgotten in the grand scheme of things, especially with a challenging road trip ahead, it still offered a glimpse of what the Gamecocks are capable of when they’re firing on all cylinders. With starters getting some rest in the fourth quarter, it was a game that allowed South Carolina to recalibrate ahead of a tough road stretch.

“I was very confident compared to how confident I’ve been in the past,” Fulwiley said. “A lot of layups were falling for me, and I was just excited. It made me feel good about taking more layups, and my teammates pushed me through and gave me that confidence and that boost I needed.”

On a night when the outcome was never in doubt, the Gamecocks found success in staying calm, relaxed, and confident. It may not have been the most memorable game, but it was a step in the right direction.