Thursday’s Island Division Recaps: South Carolina, MTSU Earn Wins
South Carolina Routs Iowa State, 76-36
No. 4 South Carolina went on a 32-0 run in the first half and beat No. 15 Iowa State 76-36 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Thursday.
The Gamecocks — playing for the first time since now-No. 1 UCLA snapped their 43-game winning streak on Sunday — held the Cyclones scoreless for nearly 15 straight minutes. Joyce Edwards had 13 points and 11 rebounds for South Carolina (6-1), and Sania Feagin scored 13.
Audi Crooks had 13 points and nine rebounds for Iowa State (5-2), and Mackenzie Hare scored 12 for the Cyclones.
South Carolina missed 13 consecutive shots after the 32-0 run ended and saw its lead cut to 37-20. But the Gamecocks made seven of their next eight shots and pulled away.
South Carolina Recap | Box Score
MTSU Grinds out Close Win Over Purdue, 54-49
In what proved to be a physical, defensive battle, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (6-1) prevailed over the Purdue Boilermakers (4-2) 54-49 in the second game of a Thanksgiving-Day slate at the Elevance Health’s Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off in Fort Myers, Fla.
The game drew to a standstill at the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter with the score tied at 49. Another 1:30 would come off the game clock before either team’s next points, a pair of free throws from Boldyreva, giving her 18 for the game to put the Blue Raiders up 51-49 with 2:43 remaining. Middle Tennessee would extend their lead to five as the clock hit triple zeroes, giving the Blue Raiders their first win of two games in Fort Myers, and extending their current winning streak to four.
Boldyreva once again led the Blue Raiders in the scoring department with 19 points, logging her second Player of the Game nod of the week. The senior center also recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds, to go with four blocks. Gregory and Elina Arike finished in double-figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively.