HONOLULU, Hawaii—No. 2 South Carolina defeated CSU Bakersfield 90-71 in the second game of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Rainbow Wahine Showdown Friday night.

The Gamecocks (6-0) shot 53% from the field in the first quarter (10-of-19) to take a 27-14 lead. CSUB trailed by as many as 15 in the second quarter, but cut the lead to eight, 32-24 with 6:30 to play on a Batabe Zempare field goal. South Carolina scored the six of the next eight to keep the lead in double digits.

Despite two players picking up three fouls in Alyssa Shannon and Brittany Sims, the Roadrunners stayed in it. CSUB cut the lead to 45-37 with three seconds remaining in the first half when Alexxus Gilbert sank a floater in the lane.

The Roadrunners scored the first two baskets of the second half to close to within four. The Gamecocks made only one of their first six shot attempts as CSUB again cut it to four at 47-43 with just over six to play in the third. South Carolina would keep the 'Runners off the board on three consecutive possessions as they extended the lead back to 51-43 when the media timeout was taken.

Out of the media break, the teams traded baskets before Erika Williams made two free throw attempts for a 53-47 SC lead. Shay Colley hit a 17-footer the next time down for the Gamecocks. Sims was fouled and made first free throw before missing the second. Dajy Vines stole the rebound from South Carolina and her field goal reduced the advantage to 55-50. Colley scored the four points for the Gamecocks to push the lead to nine.

Shannon found Williams at the top of the key for a three-point basket, but an A'ja Wilson basket kept it as a three-possession game at 61-53. Williams was fouled, but made only 1-of-2 free throw attempts on the ensuing CSUB possession.  Bianca Cuevas and Addi Walters exchanged three-pointers to end the third quarter with SC up 64-57.

Zempare scored the first points of the fourth quarter to bring CSUB to within five before Wilson made a pair of free throws. Vines hit a short jumper for the 'Runners. CSUB got a defensive stop, but couldn't take advantage as Vines was called for an offensive foul.  A Cuevas layup was followed by a Roadrunner miss. South Carolina extended the lead to 70-61 when Cuevas hit another layup on a backdoor cut. Williams scored before the third consecutive layup, this time from Aliana Coates again created a nine-point game.

“We didn't get the stops we need to get towards the end,” said CSUB head coach Greg McCall.” “We let (Bianca) Cuevas get a couple of open layups after we lost sight of her on the court.”

Tina Roy's three-pointer pushed the lead back into double digits with just over five to play in the fourth.  A CSUB turnover led to a Tiffany Mitchell drive. She was fouled and was sent to the charity stripe where converted both tries. A Wilson three-point play gave SC their largest lead of the game at 80-63.

Zempare put down a three-pointer to give the Roadrunners life.  Sims, CSUB's 6-3 center, made her first three-pointer in over two years to reduce the lead to 80-69. A Mitchell turnover gave the 'Runners the ball at the 2:39 mark. The Roadrunners missed from the filed before five straight from the Gamecocks put the game out of reach.

“The South Carolina coach did a good job of adjusting to what we wanted to do,” McCall said. “Those adjustments allowed Cuevas to get open. Offensively we missed a couple of easy shots that we should have got. Overall, we played a heck of a game. We played with heart and passion. We had the number two team in the country where we wanted to have them and I thought we should have come away with the victory today.”

The Gamecocks would make 35-of-64 field goal attempts (54.7%) for the game and outrebounded the 'Runners 39-30. The Roadrunners were whistled for 27 fouls, sending the Gamecocks to the line 31 times. SC only made 17 attempts from the charity stripe. CSUB went 13-of-15 from the free throw line.

Wilson led all scorers for South Carolina with 26 points. Cuevas' 20 points came off the bench for the Gamecocks. Mitchell added 13. Zempare charted 19 points to pace the Roadrunners. Shannon scored 11 while Williams and Vines both tallied 10 for the 'Runners.

CSUB (1-4) wraps up the tournament Sunday with a matchup against No. 16/18 Arizona State.  Tip is set for 2:30 p.m. HST or 4:30 p.m. PST.

The Roadrunners return home Dec. 8 when CSUB hosts Pepperdine. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com. The game can also be seen on the WAC Digital Network.

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