Hampton Lady Pirates at South Carolina Gamecocks

Coates and Wilson power No. 4 South Carolina to 92-38 win

Alaina Coates scored 28 points and had 16 rebounds and her fellow frontcourt player A'ja Wilson added 20 as South Carolina (2-0) used a decided size advantage to breeze past the Pirates (0-4).

In the opening win over Ohio State, all-Atlantic Coast Conference transfer Kaela Davis scored 37 points. The former Georgia Tech star had just three on Sunday. But with a solid roster, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley expects a different star most nights.

Allisha Gray, the transfer from North Carolina who Staley calls her "silent assassin," had 16 points after debuting for South Carolina with 24 against the Buckeyes.

Hampton (0-4) trailed just 21-15 at the end of the first quarter and pulled down one rebound more than the Gamecocks. "I thought that was disgraceful," Staley said.

So Staley challenged her players to dominate inside. They were helped because two of the Pirates tallest players Kaylah Lupoe and Monnazjea Finney-Smith each ended the first quarter with three fouls. Coates had 14 points in the quarter, while Wilson made all eight of her free throws as South Carolina pulled away with a 32-11 run, outscoring Hampton 18-2 in the paint in the quarter.

"There's really nothing you can do. It is what it is with the fouls," Hampton coach David Six said.

Coates' 28 points were one off her career high, and Wilson made all 14 of her free throws, setting a school record for most makes without a miss.

Malia Tate-Defreitas, the reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year the past two seasons, led Hampton with 10 points.

BIG PICTURE

Hampton: Six seemed to acknowledge his team's size disadvantage from the start, sending 5-foot-5 guard Georgianna Gilbeaux out for the opening tap, which she didn't even try to get against the 6-foot-5 Wilson. Hampton has played a Power 5 team in each of its first four games, losing by an average of 33 points. The Pirates are trying to win the MEAC for the first time since 2014, when they capped a five-year NCAA Tournament run.

South Carolina: All 11 South Carolina players played at least 10 minutes, a nice luxury with three games in three days. The Gamecocks forced 24 turnovers and held Hampton to 24 percent shooting. South Carolina's reserves played almost the entire fourth quarter, holding the Pirates to just four points on 2-of-15 shooting.

AILING A'JA

Wilson's 14-of-14 day from the foul line masked another quiet night from the field. The first-team All-American was 3-for-8 from the field against Hampton after going just 1-of-3 struggling with foul trouble at Ohio State.

Staley said Wilson is rusty because she spent most of her summer resting her shins, which bothered her at the end of last season, instead of playing basketball.

"She's kind of paying for it right now. But she will work things out," Staley said.

Others are welcome to shoot as much as they want, Wilson said. "If we're winning, A'ja is happy," the junior said.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

South Carolina could move up from No. 4 on Monday after No. 2 Baylor lost to third-ranked Connecticut. But it is very possible poll voters won't punish the Bears. The Gamecocks aren't likely to fall either..

UP NEXT

Hampton: The Pirates take on Saint Peter's on Monday in the second game of the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks play Maine on Monday in the second game of the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge.

How can I watch Lady Pirates vs. Gamecocks?

• TV Channel: Lady Pirates vs Gamecocks 2021 College Basketball, week 2, is broadcasted on SECN+.
• Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Location: Columbia, SC
Attendance: 11,795 | Capacity: