South Carolina
CLEMSON, S.C. (11/11/2026) — Visiting the Tigers on their home floor, the South Carolina Gamecocks delivered a commanding 65-44 victory over Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum on Wednesday, using balanced scoring across four contributors and a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away in front of 5,629 fans.
How It Happened
South Carolina controlled the game from the opening tip. Joyce Edwards converted a layup off an Agot Makeer assist just 30 seconds in to give the Gamecocks first blood, and while the game was tied twice early, South Carolina never relinquished the lead thereafter.
Tessa Johnson set the tone offensively, drilling a 23-foot three-pointer at 7:03 of the first quarter — Makeer providing the assist — to push the advantage to 7-4. South Carolina continued to build, capped by a pair of Edwards free throws in the final minute of the period, and held a 19-14 edge heading to the second quarter.
Chloe Kitts opened the second period with a layup to extend the margin to seven. Clemson's Rusne Augustinaite answered with a 24-foot three-pointer at 6:26 to trim the deficit, but the Gamecocks steadied. Kitts finished off a Tessa Johnson assist late in the half to send South Carolina to the locker room ahead 30-21.
Turning Point
The third quarter is where the game was decided. South Carolina scored on the first possession of the half — Kitts converting a free throw — and never slowed. Kitts added a layup off a Joyce Edwards assist at 7:04 to push the lead to 34-21. Johnson then buried a 29-foot three-pointer, assisted by Jerzy Robinson, at 5:26 to extend it to 43-21. Edwards converted a free throw, Kitts added another layup off a Makeer assist, and Makeer herself capped the extended run with a 23-foot three-pointer — assisted by Ayla McDowell — to make it 51-28 with 1:49 remaining in the period.
The Gamecocks outscored Clemson 21-7 in the third, holding the Tigers scoreless for a stretch exceeding eight consecutive minutes of game clock. South Carolina's 43% field-goal shooting versus Clemson's 22% illustrated the execution gap, and the Gamecocks' 14 assists against just 3 for the Tigers underscored how thoroughly South Carolina controlled ball movement while Clemson's offense struggled to generate quality looks.
Star of the Game
Chloe Kitts delivered the most complete performance of the night, posting 12 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double that proved decisive in the paint. Scoring in each of the first three quarters, Kitts converted layups at critical moments — including back-to-back paint finishes in the third-quarter run — and anchored a South Carolina rebounding effort that outpaced Clemson 40-37 on the Tigers' own floor.
Tessa Johnson led the Gamecocks with 13 points, connecting on two three-pointers from beyond 23 feet and adding 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Joyce Edwards and Agot Makeer each contributed 8 points, with Edwards dishing out 4 assists and Makeer adding 3 — both integral to the third-quarter burst that broke the game open.
For Clemson, Mackenzie Nelson was the lone consistent offensive force, finishing with a team-high 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. Mia Moore added 10 points and 4 rebounds, but the Tigers as a team shot 13% from three-point range and committed 21 turnovers — three more than South Carolina — limiting their ability to sustain any momentum.
What It Means
The South Carolina Gamecocks earned a road rivalry win with a performance that underscores depth and ball movement as early-season strengths. Four players scoring at least 8 points, 14 assists as a team, and a 40-37 rebounding edge on the road speaks to a roster capable of winning through multiple avenues. The ability to hold Clemson scoreless for extended stretches of the third quarter points to defensive engagement that complements their offensive production.
Clemson faces work ahead following this performance. Shooting 22% from the field and generating just 3 assists against South Carolina's defense exposed real offensive limitations. Nelson's 17 points showed that scoring punch exists, but the Tigers will need sharper ball security and improved three-point efficiency as the schedule deepens.
