It took over two years, but South Carolina women’s basketball has avenged its last regular season loss.
The No. 1 Gamecocks took down Missouri 81-57 at Mizzou Arena on Thursday, getting a win at the location of its last regular season defeat back on Dec. 30, 2021. The Gamecocks have now won their last 59 regular season games.
Junior guard Bree Hall scored 21 points to lead South Carolina and senior guard Te-Hina Paopao contributed 15 points and six rebounds. Forwards Sania Franklin and Ashlyn Watkins each added 10 points.
South Carolina outscored Missouri 22-11 in the fourth quarter on the way to the victory.
Missouri fought through the third quarter, cutting the lead down to five before South Carolina went on an 8-0 run to put the game out of reach.
The Gamecocks also went on a 17-2 run over a five-minute spread in the second quarter, turning a one-point deficit into a 13-point halftime lead. The run was spurred by 3-point shooting — South Carolina had four makes from deep in the run, then hit one more before the end of the half.
Bree Hall continues scoring stretch
Nearing the end of the third quarter, junior Bree Hall pulled up for a 3-pointer, watched it swish and pumped her first.
The shot, her fourth made 3-pointer of the night, set a new career-high on her way to a 21-point night. Sixteen of Hall’s points came in the first half, nearly matching her previous best of 18 points.
Hall finished the night shooting 8-for-10 from the floor and made all four of her 3-point attempts. The junior has scored at least 15 points in each of her last three outings.
3-point shooting spurs first half run
South Carolina trailed 20-18 in the second quarter and was 1-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Senior guard Te-Hina Paopao finally got a 3-pointer to go. Then freshman guard Tessa Johnson hit one. Then Hall made a 3-pointer, giving the Gamecocks a three on back-to-back-to-back possessions and starting a 17-2 run.
The Gamecocks, the nation’s best 3-point shooting team entering Thursday, finished the night shooting 8-for-13 from deep. The three consecutive makes propelled South Carolina into a 41-28 halftime lead, an advantage it didn’t relinquish again.
On top of Hall’s four 3-point makes, Paopao hit 3-of-4. Paopao leads the national individually, making 55% of her 3-point attempts, and has hit at least two in every game this year.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: South Carolina downs Missouri behind Bree Hall’s career night
