COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Kia Nurse scored 23 points and Katie Lou Samuelson added 20 as No. 1 UConn powered past defending national champ South Carolina 83-58 on Thursday night.
The Huskies opened things up early to lead 53-24 at the half on their way to a 21-0 start for the fourth time in five seasons. They extended their NCAA mark with their 48th straight road win and, if anyone needed more evidence, marked themselves the clear favorite for another NCAA title.
No. 7 South Carolina (18-4) fell to 0-6 all-time against UConn and 0-15 in program history against No. 1 teams.
The Gamecocks had hoped All-American A’ja Wilson, a sellout crowd and a super-charged atmosphere at Colonial Life Arena might rattle the Huskies. Instead it was UConn showing it was more than up to the challenge. Nurse hit two straight threes and Samuelson added one of her own as UConn broke on top 13-4 in the first four minutes.
The Huskies poured it on with a 19-2 start to the second quarter that ended any hopes of a South Carolina surprise.
A brief Gamecocks rally cut a 33-point lead down to 21 in the third quarter, but it was nowhere near enough.
Napheesa Collier had 19 points and five blocks while Gabby Williams had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Wilson, the two-time defending Southeastern Conference player of the year, struggled from the field, going 4 of 18 for 14 points. She also had 16 rebounds and six blocks. Wilson was recruited hard by UConn before picking the Gamecocks and lost to the Huskies all four of her college seasons.
Freshman Bianca Jackson had a career high 20 points for the Gamecocks.
