NFL
By: Ty Reeves
It’s time for the rematch we’ve all been waiting for. From the sunny Bahamas, the UConn Huskies took on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Battle for Atlantis Tournament. The teams came into this game as the top two ranked programs in the country in what could be a preview of the National Championship. The last time these two teams met, Paige Bueckers iced the game with a game-winning three-in overtime home in Storrs. With the number one recruiting class, top transfers, and Aaliyah Boston, the Gamecocks look to get revenge on the Huskies in paradise.
The Gamecocks came out hungry, hitting back-to-back threes to take a 6-0 lead. But after a couple of blocks by Olivia Nelson-Ododa, the Huskies got on the scoreboard when senior Evina Westbrook would finish the through contact for the bucket and the foul. The Huskies then went on a 20-6 scoring run with everything going their way on the floor. UConn would take a 20-14 lead into the second quarter.
At the start of the quarter, it was all UConn early. The tandem of Westbrook and Bueckers reached double digits early on. South Carolina made up some ground with a Boston layup and a Zia Cooke jump shot to get within eight of the Huskies. But UConn answered right back with Christyn Williams pull-up jumper from the baseline and a Bueckers jumper from the elbow to extend the lead to 11. South Carolina slowly work their way back into the game, but the Huskies would take a 36-33 lead into the half with Bueckers leading all scorers with 13 points.
The start of the second half was dominated by Aaliyah Boston, who grabbed her first double-double of the season in the opening minutes of the third quarter. On the back of Boston and Cooke, the Gamecocks jumped out to a 46-40 lead early on in the quarter. The Huskies fought their way back into the game with Bueckers hitting a leaning jumper while Williams got out in transition for the layup to cut the lead to two heading into a timeout.
Out of the timeout, Destanni Henderson hit two free throws to grow the Gamecocks lead to six. The Huskies responded with a trifecta of scores to take a 52-50 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter. Henderson then responded by intercepting the ball in transition. She kicked it to Cooke on the wing who drove to the basket for an open layup. Williams hit a pair of free throws for the Huskies, but Destiny Littleton knocked down the corner three to give South Carolina a 57-54 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
South Carolina came out firing to start the final quarter of play jumping out to a 61-54 lead. Westbrook got the Huskies within seven hitting a three but Littleton responded with a three of her own to give South Carolina a nine-point lead with just over four minutes to play in the game.
Henderson put the game away for the Gamecocks when she beat the shot clock from three with just over a minute to play to give South Carolina a 71-57 lead. The Gamecocks went on to win 73-57 and be named the Battle for Atlantis Champions. Aaliyah Boston would finish with 22 points and 15 rebounds while Paige Bueckers would finish with 19 points for the Huskies.
No. 1 @GamecockWBB is the Battle 4 Atlantis Champs
@autumnjohnsontv caught up with Zia Cooke and Aliyah Boston to talk about their victory over No. 2 UConn and how South Carolina plans to celebrate in the Bahamas.#ncaaW pic.twitter.com/aZrcpikOD1
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) November 22, 2021
The Gamecocks forced the Huskies into 19 turnovers and outrebounded them by 15, and would only give up three points in the fourth quarter. South Carolina takes game one from the Huskies as the two powerhouse programs will meet again on January 27 at South Carolina.
