COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior guard Donasja Scott led the Savannah State University women's basketball team (2-7) with 17 points, two shy of tying her career high, as the Lady Tigers fell to No. 4 University of South Carolina (10-1) 99-38 Sunday in Colonial Life Arena.
 
Scott shot 7-for-14 from the floor with three rebounds and two steals, while junior forward Kaylee Allen scored six points with five rebounds and three steals and freshman guard Jazmine Bartlett scored six points.  Freshman center Alexxus Sowell led the team with six rebounds.
 
With South Carolina hold a slim 5-4 lead with 8:04 remaining in the first quarter, the Gamecocks scored 17 of the next 21 points to increase their lead to 14 points, 22-8, with 3:42 left.  Savannah State closed the quarter outscored USC 6-5 to cut the lead to 13 points, 27-14, after the first quarter.
 
The Gamecocks scored the first four points of the second quarter to increase their lead to 17 points, 31-14, with 9:10 remaining in the quarter, but two made Allen free throws cut the lead to 15 points, 31-16, with 8:52 left.  USC outscored SSU 25-7 during the rest of the quarter to take a 33-point, 56-23, halftime lead.
 
The third quarter got off to a slow start as the first point scored came at the 7:44 mark, a USC made free and the first bucket at the 6:46 mark, a Gamecock jumper to give USC a 36-point lead, 59-23.  South Carolina outscored SSU 17-3 during the rest of the quarter to increase the lead to 50 points, 76-26.
 
A Scott jumper to start the fourth quarter cut the lead to 48 points, 76-28, but the Gamecocks outscored the Lady Tigers 23-10 during the rest of the quarter for the 61-point win.
 
The Gamecocks were led by A'ja Wilson with 26 points, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan with 21 points, Tyasha Harris with a double-double of 14 points and 12 assists and Alexis Jennings with a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds.
 
The Lady Tigers play their final game before Christmas with a trip to Greenville, N.C., to face East Carolina University Wednesday at 7 p.m.
 
Newspaper Box Score
Savannah State vs #4/5 South Carolina
12/17/17 3 p.m. at Columbia, S.C./Colonial Life Arena
At Columbia, S.C./Colonial Life Arena
#4/5 SOUTH CAROLINA 99, SAVANNAH STATE 38
SAVANNAH STATE (2-7)
SCOTT,Donasja 7-14 3-4 17; BARTLETT,Jazmine 2-6 2-3 6; ALLEN,Kaylee 1-9 4-4
6; SOWELL,Alexxus 1-5 1-2 3; GALLISHAW,Sabree 1-3 0-0 2; GRAY,Jalea 0-2 2-2
2; MOTON,Heniaya 0-1 2-2 2; VANCE,Kayla 0-1 0-0 0; FARMER,Nadia 0-4 0-0 0;
RUSSELL,Praise 0-1 0-0 0; ANDERSON,Jacqueline 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 12-50 14-17
38.
#4/5 SOUTH CAROLINA (10-1)
WILSON, A'ja 12-16 1-2 26; HERBERT HARRIGAN, M. 7-10 7-7 21; HARRIS, Tyasha
6-8 1-2 14; JENNINGS, Alexis 4-7 2-2 10; GRISSETT, LeLe 3-4 2-5 8; PATRICK,
Victoria 2-9 0-0 6; WILLIAMS, LaDazhia 2-3 1-3 5; JACKSON, Bianca 1-8 2-2 5;
CLINEY, Doniyah 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 39-67 16-23 99.
Savannah State................   14    9    3   12  -   38
#4/5 South Carolina...........   27   29   20   23  -   99
3-point goals--Savannah State 0-6 (SCOTT,Donasja 0-1; FARMER,Nadia 0-3;
ANDERSON,Jacqueline 0-2), #4/5 South Carolina 5-17 (PATRICK, Victoria 2-9;
HARRIS, Tyasha 1-2; WILSON, A'ja 1-2; JACKSON, Bianca 1-3; HERBERT HARRIGAN,
M. 0-1). Fouled out--Savannah State-None, #4/5 South Carolina-None.
Rebounds--Savannah State 32 (SOWELL,Alexxus 6), #4/5 South Carolina 38
(JENNINGS, Alexis 13). Assists--Savannah State 2 (ANDERSON,Jacqueline 2),
#4/5 South Carolina 23 (HARRIS, Tyasha 12). Total fouls--Savannah State 18,
#4/5 South Carolina 12. Technical fouls--Savannah State-None, #4/5 South
Carolina-None. A-13345
 
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