The South Carolina Gamecocks, ranked 1st, continued their impressive season with a commanding victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The final score read 85-66 in favor of the home team, extending their record to an outstanding performance. The Bulldogs now stand with a less favorable record after this encounter.

Dec 18, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks center Kamilla Cardoso (10) and South Carolina Gamecocks forward Chloe Kitts (21) attempt to rebound against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

From the opening quarter, the Gamecocks set a high tempo at Colonial Life Arena, outscoring the Bulldogs 26-21 and maintaining that intensity throughout the game. With an effective field goal percentage of 47 and converting half of their three-point attempts, South Carolina's shooting accuracy was a key factor in their success. Their prowess from beyond the arc was matched by solid two-point shooting at 46 percent.

Defensively, South Carolina also excelled; they registered six blocks and eight steals during the game which contributed to their dominance on court. The team's defensive efforts were complemented by an equally impressive offensive display that saw them notch up 17 assists – showcasing a collaborative effort in ball distribution.

The Gamecocks capitalized on turnovers as well, scoring 11 points off Bulldog mistakes while keeping their own turnovers to just one less than Mississippi State's total. This careful ball handling was reflected in an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.55 for South Carolina compared to just 0.83 for Mississippi State.

On rebounds, both teams were nearly even with South Carolina edging it slightly with one more rebound than Mississippi State's total of 45 rebounds; however it was how they used those rebounds that made all difference – turning them into second chance points where they scored fifteen compared to sixteen by Mississippi State.

Mississippi State struggled from long range throughout the game only making three out of nineteen attempts resulting in a lowly sixteen percent conversion rate from three-point land which contrasted sharply against South Carolina’s fifty percent efficiency rate from deep.

Despite being guests at Colonial Life Arena and putting up a valiant fight through four quarters including scoring twenty points in final quarter alone - highest single-quarter score for either team - it wasn't enough as they fell short against top-ranked opponents who had led twice during match-up and only saw lead change hands twice overall before securing victory decisively.

Looking ahead for fans of South Carolina Gamecocks is another exciting matchup as they are scheduled to play away against Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena located in Columbia on January 11th at 7:00 PM Central Time (8:00 PM Eastern). Fans can catch this upcoming contest live via internet broadcast on SEC Network+.

NCAAWB - Recap

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