South Carolina Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley provided steady production off the bench during a 95-68 conference win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sunday, Jan. 5. The victory improved Dawn Staley's squad to 14-1 overall this season and 2-0 in SEC play.
Fulwiley played 15 minutes as a second-stringer, contributing nine points on 2-of-5 shooting, including a 3-pointer and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. The sophomore added two rebounds, an assist and a block.
Although she didn’t start the game, Fulwiley checked in during the first quarter at the 4:45 mark. The second-year standout made an early impact on the defensive end. She later set up freshman Joyce Edwards for a jumper, but Mississippi State’s early surge gave the Bulldogs a 22-13 lead to close the first quarter.
In the second quarter, however, Fulwiley did not see any playing time from Staley. Fortunately for South Carolina, the defending champions regrouped with a 22-12 run, capped by a Tessa Johnson layup, to take a 36-34 lead.
The Gamecocks extended the advantage to eight points, 42-34, heading into halftime, thanks to a 3-pointer from Johnson.
After sitting out the entire second quarter, Fulwiley reentered the game at the 5:12 mark of the third quarter, immediately driving into the lane for a layup that extended the Gamecocks’ lead to 56-36.
At the 2:00 mark, Fulwiley missed a 3-pointer but grabbed an offensive rebound and converted on her second attempt from beyond the arc.
She closed the period by sinking two free throws with 1:20 remaining, helping South Carolina end the quarter with a sizable 68-45 advantage.
The Gamecocks maintained control in the fourth quarter, as Staley’s team put the finishing touches on their dominant victory. Fulwiley’s final points came from a pair of free throws at the 1:47 mark, sealing her contribution in the 95-68 win.
Below are MiLaysia Fulwiley's stats.
MiLaysia Fulwiley is joined by Tessa Johnson and Joyce Edwards as key contributors off the bench
Besides Fulwiley, spitfire guard Tessa Johnson and Joyce Edwards as key contributors off the bench. Johnson also had a memorable night, scoring a team-high 22 points with four 3-pointers on an efficient 8-for-11 shooting clip in 28 minutes. Edwards contributed 10 points in 21 minutes of play.
There were several key contributors for Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks in Sunday’s win as they look to replicate that success in their next SEC matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies on Thursday.
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