A banner night: 3 observations as No. 1 Gamecocks crush Coppin State in home opener

The lights dimmed at Colonial Life Arena, and a buzz of electric energy surged through the crowd. Fans draped in garnet and black rose to honor the reigning national champion Gamecocks as they stepped onto the court, basking in the cheers and admiration.

“It meant a lot to us, just knowing that all the work we put in last year paid off, and just to see it with our own eyes — it was a surreal moment, because we actually did it,” MiLaysia Fulwiley said. “Them giving us our flowers meant a lot to us.”

Then came the slow, dramatic unfurling of the championship banner from the rafters — a tribute to last season’s glory and another milestone under head coach Dawn Staley.

This wasn’t just another home-opener. It was a celebration of legacy.

“It’s always a beautiful ceremony,” Staley said. “It’s only one team that is able to do that. And we’ve been able to do it three times in the past seven years. And that’s incredible.”

Once the glitz and glam of the ceremony concluded, No. 1 South Carolina (3-0) got down to business, overpowering Coppin State (2-2) with a decisive 92-60 win Thursday night.

After a slow start to the game, the Gamecocks found their rhythm and pulled away with a 17-2 run across the first and second quarters, taking firm control of the game.

Fulwiley scored a game-high 23 points — just shy of the sophomore’s career high (24) — to go along with four assists. Junior Chloe Kitts also helped lead USC to the win with a double-double: 19 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Te-Hina Paopao chipped in 13 points and five assists.

The win extended USC’s 60-game winning streak at home (41 straight games overall). But Staley said her mindset is to just continue and move on to the next game.

“If we stop to think about what we’ve accomplished, we’ll let our guard down,” Staley said.

Even so, the Gamecocks’ impact on the game isn’t lost on Staley.

“It’s unimaginable,” Staley said. “Yeah, you think about winning national championships, but you don’t think about how you do it. You don’t think about a 60-game home win streak. It’s not one of the goals that we set.

“But to actually live it and do it and be a part of it, I gotta tip my hat to all the players and all the coaches that have created what we’ve created. So, I think it’s remarkable.”

USC hosts East Carolina on Sunday.

Here are three observations from South Carolina’s win over Coppin State:

The Fulwiley and Kitts Show

Kitts carried the offense early, scoring eight points before the first timeout and finishing the half with 10. Her size advantage against Coppin State’s smaller defenders allowed her to score with ease.

She said she has gotten more and more confident each day, which is in part due to her hard work in the weight room. She has started working out before each game, similar to what the pros do.

“I spend more time in the weight room than I do getting up extra work because I realized that was more beneficial to me,” Kitts said. “I don’t need to be in the gym every night after practice.”

Fulwiley backed her up — providing the spark USC needed — tallying a game-high 10 points by halftime. She ignited the crowd with a behind-the-back assist to Kitts, then sank a step-back jumper and a deep 3-pointer from nearly 30 feet out.

But she really got into a groove in the second half. She was essentially a scorching-hot flamethrower, scoring 13 more points after the half. She knocked down three 3-pointers across a four-minute stretch in the period.

“Honestly when I put on a show, or whatever you want to call it, I really don’t think. When I think about it, it never turns out right,” Fulwiley said. “ So I don’t really try to put on a show. I really just try to go out there and just make the right play, and sometimes I add a little bit of spice to it. But really, I’m just trying to get a bucket for my team.”

A sluggish start

South Carolina struggled to establish its offense early — especially in the half-court — turning the ball over five times in the first quarter and starting just 2 for 8 from the field (not counting a fast-break layup from Kitts).

A 10-0 run at the end of the first quarter gave USC a 23-16 lead heading into the second.

Fulwiley said it’s important for them to keep their heads up in those moments.

“We know each other and we believe in each other. So when we don’t start off the game good, we don’t hold our heads or anything. We don’t try to put each other down; we just lift each other up,” Fulwiley said.

Need more from the backcourt

Guards Paopao, Raven Johnson and Bree Hall were quiet in the first half, combining for just 4-of-14 shooting.

Paopao hit two late buckets, Hall drained a 3, and Paopao followed with another in the final minutes before the break, helping USC gain further momentum.

While Paopao and the rest of the guards eventually got it going, it paralleled the trend of USC’s slow start.

Fulwiley’s bench scoring was crucial to keeping the offense afloat while the starting guards found their groove. Tessa Johnson sat out to give her tweaked ankle extra rest, but her return will add needed depth and firepower to the backcourt.

Freshman Maddy McDaniel played 17 minutes and scored two, her first career college points.

Schedule: Next four games

• Nov. 17 vs. East Carolina, 2 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

• Nov. 20 at Clemson, 5 p.m on ESPN2

• Nov. 24 at UCLA, 4 p.m. on FS1

• Nov. 28 vs. Iowa State @ Fort Myers Tip-Off – 1:30 p.m. on FOX