The South Carolina women's basketball team set a new record for their program by allowing the fewest points in a game during their 101-19 win over Mississippi Valley State on Friday.

The No. 1 ranked Gamecocks, now 5-0, quickly took control of the game after a brief initial deficit, outscoring the Devilettes 40-0 in the first half. The defense was particularly effective, limiting Mississippi Valley State to just six points in each of the first two quarters and only seven points in the entire second half.

Senior center Kamilla Cardoso had a notable performance, securing her fourth double-double in five games with 14 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 53% from the field. However, point guard Raven Johnson stood out with a versatile performance of 12 points, eight rebounds, five steals and five assists.

Te-Hina Paopao, returning from an injury, had an impressive game as well. Despite missing the previous match against South Dakota State, Paopao scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 21 minutes. Coach Dawn Staley praised Paopao for her effective shooting and presence on the court.

“It makes a big difference to have someone like Pao who's always cool, calm and collected,” Staley said, as reported by Emily Adams of the Greenville News. “You have to guard her, and she doesn't take bad shots. It was great to have her back on the floor.”

The Gamecocks did struggle with their three-point shooting, making only five of 20 attempts. Freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley and sophomore Bree Hall together missed all six of their attempts.  Despite this, South Carolina excelled in scoring from the paint, with 72 of their points coming from this area, and dominated layups with a 32-of-44 performance.

Defense was a key aspect of the victory for South Carolina women's basketball, forcing 19 turnovers from Mississippi Valley State. Johnson was particularly effective in this regard, contributing five steals. This defensive strength allowed South Carolina to score 20 points off turnovers, while the Devilettes only managed five points from Gamecock turnovers.

Dawn Staley acknowledged the challenges posed by Mississippi Valley State's disruptive play but commended her team for their ability to adapt and leverage their talent. She highlighted the defensive efforts of her players, especially Johnson's ability to apply pressure without taking unnecessary risks.

“They're a team that scrambles and scraps and tried to muck it up a little bit, and they accomplished that, but our team just continued to try to fight through,” Staley said. “They made us play fast, a little bit ugly, but at some point our talent just took over.”