FORT MYERS, Fla. (Interstat) — South Carolina delivered a commanding performance Saturday, routing Florida Gulf Coast 105-43 in a nonconference women’s basketball game at Alico Arena. The Gamecocks, now 12-1, overwhelmed the Eagles from the outset, building a 62-point victory behind stifling defense and dominant interior play. Joyce Edwards led South Carolina with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Madina Okot added 27 points and 12 rebounds. The Gamecocks scored 74 points in the paint and forced 18 turnovers, converting them into 34 points. Sinai Douglas scored 14 points for Florida Gulf Coast, which fell to 3-6. South Carolina shot 62.5% from the field while holding the Eagles to 26.9% shooting.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Interstat) — The South Carolina women’s basketball team delivered a performance of overwhelming force Saturday, dismantling Florida Gulf Coast 105-43 at Alico Arena in a nonconference matchup that was decided almost from the opening tip. The top-ranked Gamecocks, playing as the visiting team, improved to 12-1 on the season with their fifth consecutive victory, all by at least 40 points. Florida Gulf Coast fell to 3-6. The most important part of the game was its immediate and relentless tone, set by South Carolina’s suffocating defense and dominant interior play. The Gamecocks opened the contest on a 9-0 run before the Eagles managed their first basket, a 3-pointer from Sinai Douglas nearly three minutes in. That brief response did nothing to stem the tide. South Carolina answered with a 13-0 surge, fueled by its defense creating easy transition opportunities and a staggering rebounding advantage, to end the first quarter leading 29-11. The Gamecocks never looked back, holding Florida Gulf Coast to single-digit scoring in the second quarter to take a 52-21 lead into halftime. The statistical disparity was profound. South Carolina shot 62.5% from the field, connecting on 45 of 72 attempts, while Florida Gulf Coast was held to 26.9% shooting, making just 14 of 52. The Gamecocks dominated the paint, outscoring the Eagles 74-10, and capitalized on 18 FGCU turnovers to the tune of 34 points. South Carolina also controlled the glass with a 19-5 edge in offensive rebounds, leading to 26 second-chance points. Joyce Edwards, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Camden, South Carolina, led all scorers with 29 points and added 10 rebounds for a double-double. She was complemented by a monstrous performance from center Madina Okot. The 6-foot-6 junior from Mumias, Kenya, scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, also recording two assists and a block. Guard Ta’Niya Latson of Miami facilitated the offense with seven assists to go with 15 points and five rebounds. Maryam Dauda contributed 12 points off the bench, and Tessa Johnson added nine points, four rebounds and four assists. For Florida Gulf Coast, Sinai Douglas of Toledo, Ohio, led the way with 14 points. Cerina Rolle of Eustis, Florida, was the only other Eagle in double figures with 10 points. South Carolina’s offensive efficiency was elite, scoring 105 points on just 73 possessions for an offensive rating of 143.7. Conversely, Florida Gulf Coast managed only 43 points on 69 possessions, an offensive rating of 62.5. The Gamecocks continue a stretch of home games, next hosting Providence on Dec. 28. Florida Gulf Coast returns to action Monday at home against Fort Lauderdale. The victory extended South Carolina’s pattern of dominant wins following its lone loss to Texas in late November. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, the Gamecocks entered the game with a 97.8% probability to win, a forecast the final scoreline emphatically validated.

South Carolina Visits Florida Gulf Coast in Non-Conference Finale FORT MYERS, Fla. (Interstat) — The top-ranked South Carolina women’s basketball team concludes its non-conference schedule with a road test against Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday at Alico Arena. The Gamecocks (11-1), whose lone loss came against then-Texas on Nov. 27, enter on a dominant six-game winning streak. They are coming off a 103-44 rout of South Florida on Thursday, where standout forward Joyce Edwards scored 34 points in 27 minutes. Edwards has been on a tear, averaging 26.3 points over her last three games. The sophomore is shooting 65% from the field during that span and provides a versatile scoring threat for a deep South Carolina squad that averages 88.2 points per game. Florida Gulf Coast (3-5) looks to build momentum after a 70-59 win at Florida Atlantic on Dec. 12 snapped a two-game skid. The Eagles, led by guard Nay Staton, rely on perimeter shooting and have shown resilience at home, including a November victory over then-Stanford. Staton averages 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds, but the Eagles will need a collective defensive effort to slow South Carolina’s high-powered offense. FGCU allows an average of 66.6 points per game. This marks the first meeting between the programs. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has emphasized road readiness as Southeastern Conference play looms. The Gamecocks open their SEC slate Jan. 1 against Alabama. For Florida Gulf Coast, it is a final major opportunity to tune up before Atlantic Sun Conference action begins Jan. 1 against North Alabama. The Eagles host Fort Lauderdale on Monday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. EST Saturday. South Carolina’s size and depth present a significant challenge for the Eagles, who will aim to leverage their home-court advantage and three-point shooting to keep pace.