Joyce Edwards had 14 points and eight rebounds, Tessa Johnson added 13 points and No. 2 South Carolina avenged its only loss this season by beating No. 4 Texas 68-65 on Thursday night for its 11th straight victory.
Ta’Niya Latson scored 12 points and Raven Johnson came up with some big shots down the stretch, scoring six of her 10 points in the pivotal fourth quarter for the Gamecocks (18-1, 5-0 Southeastern Conference).
Madison Booker had 24 points and Rori Harmon added 16 to lead Texas (18-2, 3-2), which finished 1 of 9 from 3-point range.
Texas handed South Carolina its only loss on Nov. 27 in the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas — considered a nonconference game — when Harmon made a 10-foot floater with a second left.
But the Gamecocks made sure not to let this one get away.
Edwards drove and drew a foul for a three-point play that gave South Carolina a 58-57 lead with 4:12 remaining. Madina Okot followed with a clutch 3 — only her third all season — to give the Gamecocks the biggest lead of the game at that point.
Johnson later wiggled free in the low post for a layup to push the lead to five with 1:07 to play.
Booker scored on a putback, but Johnson hit a short jumper with 23 seconds left to increase the lead to five again.
Alicia Tournebize of France made her South Carolina debut, receiving a huge ovation when she checked into the game in the first quarter. The 6-foot-7 Tournebize was a midseason acquisition after playing professionally for Tango Bourges Basket, a professional team in France’s top league.
Tournebize played five minutes and did not score.
Up next
Texas hosts Texas A&M on Sunday.
South Carolina visits Coppin State on Sunday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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