It was business as usual for Dawn Staley and her side, as the South Carolina Gamecocks faced little resistance from the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Despite building a reputation as giant killers in the SEC this season, the Bulldogs were no match on the night, with South Carolina cruising to a comfortable 88–45 win that featured several historic performances.

The night began with South Carolina shorthanded once again. Ta’Niya Latson and Agot Makeer missed a second straight game with lower-leg injuries, both having been sidelined since exiting the January 29 matchup against Auburn. Their continued absence forced Dawn Staley to deploy her seventh different starting lineup of the season against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

But that didn’t stop Joyce Edwards from continuing her impressive run of form. She finished the night with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and added six assists. In the process, Edwards officially reached 1,000 career points, becoming the fifth-fastest Gamecock to hit the milestone.

The milestone puts Edwards alongside A’ja Wilson and Sheila Foster as the only sophomores in program history to reach 1,000 points, and she did it in record time. Edwards needed just 64 games, compared to 68 for Foster and 69 for Wilson. That said, Edwards was far from the only player rewriting the record book in the South Carolina vs Mississippi State clash.

Ayla McDowell and Madina Okot were the two new faces in the starting lineup, and both delivered historic performances. It was McDowell’s first start of her Gamecocks career, and the rookie wasted no time making her presence felt.

Ayla capped off her breakout night, matching her career high of 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, while also adding five rebounds and three steals. The rookie set a new SEC career high with four made threes and quickly became a fan favorite.

Madina Okot, who was a regular starter before being moved to the bench, delivered another steady performance in her final season. She recorded her 14th double-double of the year with 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting and 10 rebounds.

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All in all, it was a dominant display by the Gamecocks. Their defense never allowed the Bulldogs any breathing room. A team that averaged nearly 80 points per game was limited to a season-low 42, while shooting just 27.6 percent from the field. Mississippi State managed only 16 made shots, one of its lowest outputs of the season. Now that is what you call an iron defense!

South Carolina’s dominance extended to the paint, where Dawn Staley’s side outrebounded Mississippi State 39–29 and held a 46–22 edge in points inside. But that’s not all! The Gamecocks also forced 19 turnovers and turned them into 21 points.

And as always, the focus now shifts to the next game.

What’s Next for Dawn Staley and Co. After South Carolina vs Mississippi State

While South Carolina vs Mississippi State offered no real surprises, you know for a fact that Dawn Staley will not be happy with her side still sitting third in the rankings as Selection Sunday draws closer. With UCLA continuing to win, the Gamecocks have little control over their position in the rankings despite their dominant performances.

Now is not the time for South Carolina to lose focus. One slip could see the Gamecocks drop in the rankings, especially with a tough test against the Tennessee Lady Vols coming up next. Kim Caldwell’s team had control of the SEC standings for a while before dropping a game to the Bulldogs and then falling to the UConn Huskies in non-conference play.

Now, why are we saying this? Because we have already seen the Gamecocks slip up against a similarly ranked Oklahoma side that was struggling to find wins. The question now is whether history repeats itself or if South Carolina gets the better of the Lady Vols this time. ESPN certainly believes in Dawn Staley’s side, giving the Gamecocks an 89 percent chance to win.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.