Wake Forest University
South Carolina
Deacons Silence Gamecocks 74-57
12/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - South Carolina held a double-digit lead through most of the first half, but the Wake Forest women's basketball team battled its way back and forced 19 Gamecock turnovers in the second half to claim a 74-57 win on Wednesday afternoon.
Wake Forest improves to 6-0 with the win. The Gamecock 2008-09 record now drops to 3-3.
Demon Deacon senior Alex Tchangoue posted a game-high 19 points, followed by classmate Corinne Groves who netted 18. South Carolina's Brionna Dickerson and Demetress Adams each posted a team-high 15 points for the Gamecocks. Tchangoue and Adams shared the game-high rebound mark of 10.
Tchangoue's double-double was her first of the season. Tchangoue also led the game in steals with six and added four assists.
Sophomore Brittany Waters netted 14 points for the Deacons and registered five steals and five assists.
Wake Forest is the national leader in steals, averaging 17.4 per game and the Deacons stayed true to the ranking with 19 steals in Wednesday's contest. In addition, the Deacons' nine turnovers is the lowest turnover mark in head coach Mike Petersen's tenure.
South Carolina jumped out to early lead, holding the Deacons scoreless through the first minute and inching ahead 5-0. Brionna Dickerson netted her first of five 3-pointers to give South Carolina ten point lead at the 14:08 mark. South Carolina stretched its advantage to 11 with 9:27 to play (14-25).
Wake Forest stepped up its defense in the remaining minutes, forcing six turnovers and ending the half on a 19-9 run. Secily Ray brought the Deacons within one point of the Gamecocks with 19 seconds before the buzzer (33-34). After running the ball around the perimeter to eat up the clock, South Carolina's Lakeisha Sutton went up for a final layup but Ray was right there to make the block with one second on the clock. The score remained 34-33 heading into the break.
In the opening minutes of the second half Wake Forest and South Carolina exchanged baskets with USC holding on to the advantage. Jewel May put the Gamecocks in front by three with a 3-pointer but South Carolina followed with back-to-back turnovers allowing the Deacons to take their first lead of the game with unanswered baskets from Camille Collier and Corinne Groves (39-38).
A pair of free throws from Dickerson put the Gamecocks back in front but Tchangoue answered back with a charity stripe basket to knot the score at 40-40 with 15:28 to play.
The teams battled back-and-forth for more than two minutes, each team missing shots on consecutive possessions. Brittany Waters netted a 3-point basket to end the scoreless streak at the 13:24 mark and set the score at 43-40 with a WFU advantage. Wake Forest would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game.
In the final six minutes WFU out scored the Gamecocks to 14-7 to post a 57-74 win.
On Saturday, December 6, Wake Forest will host Coppin State at 2 p.m.
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