Top 10 triumph: No. 1 South Carolina takes down No. 9 NC State in Charlotte showdown

Coming into No. 1 South Carolina’s showdown with No. 9 N.C. State, a key question was whether the sluggish opener against Michigan was just early rust or a sign of some step-back after a national title run.

After a 71-57 win Sunday against the Wolfpack at Spectrum Center, it looks like the rust was mostly knocked off.

The Gamecocks had to weather a late run, as N.C. State got the lead down to seven, before Dawn Staley’s team finally put the ‘Pack (1-1) away. South Carolina (2-0) had taken control of the game with a big run to close the second and open the third quarter.

The Gamecocks have now won 40 straight games dating back to last year’s undefeated season.

USC guard Te-Hina Paopao led all scorers with 23 points. MiLaysia Fulwiley added 18.

“We knew that our transition offense was going to get there,” Fulwiley said. “And once we had those buckets, we knew we were settling in. And once we settled in, it was game over.

Staley said the team had to clean up some things coming off the uneven performance in a 68-62 win against Michigan. Her squad got a bit of a test late from N.C. State, but the Gamecocks held the line well.

“We had moments like that when I feel like we weren’t as calm as we needed to be,” Paopao said, referencing some struggles against Michigan. “We’ve experienced it before. In those type of moments, we’ve just got to come together as a team and relax.”

Staley noted that games like Sunday’s are valuable because players can learn more under pressure.

The Gamecocks made the Wolfpack look poor on the offense end, holding them to 41.5% shooting and forcing 21 turnovers

“Our defense, our help defense, our ability to scramble out of situations, to recover,” Staley said. “I was really pleased with our defensive effort and our ability to just smother them at times.”

An early battle

South Carolina had a bit of trouble shaking loose early, in part because of an unusual gap in execution. They were playing with big energy defensively and generating good things in offensive sets, but finishing and some questionable decision-making late in possessions meant N.C. State ran out a four-point lead early in the second quarter. (The Wolfpack helped its cause with some good shotmaking.)

USC led 39-30 at the half. The Gamecocks built their largest lead (20 points) late in the third quarter.

Where was Chloe Kitts?

The Gamecocks had to roll into the game without one of their top players. The team announced just before tip-off that forward Chloe Kitts would not play because of an “academic policy issue.” The 6-foot-2 junior had posted team highs with 19 points and 14 rebounds in the season opener against Michigan after being a key member of the rotation for last year’s national title team.

Freshman Joyce Edwards started in Kitts’ place. Edwards finished with eight points and five rebounds, but had eight of the team’s 20 turnovers.

Ashlyn Watkins returns

Dawn Staley didn’t wait long to play forward Ashlyn Watkins coming off her suspension over a legal issue. The forward from Columbia checked in with 5:29 left in the first quarter and immediately had an impact.

By halftime, she’d posted four points and five rebounds, while also providing a defensive presence in 10 minutes. She played 19 minutes overall and finished with six points and six rebounds.

South Carolina WBB schedule: Next four games

• Thursday: vs. Coppin State, 7 p.m. on SEC Network Plus

• Nov. 17: vs. East Carolina, 2 p.m. on SEC Network Plus

• Nov. 20: at Clemson, 5 p.m. on ESPN2

• Nov. 24: at UCLA, 4 p.m. on FS1