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03/06 13:08 CST No. 3 South Carolina opens SEC Tournament title defense with 87-64 rout of No. 17 Kentucky No. 3 South Carolina opens SEC Tournament title defense with 87-64 rout of No. 17 Kentucky By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) --- Joyce Edwards scored 21 points, Madina Okot added 12 points and 13 rebounds and No. 3 South Carolina routed 17th-ranked Kentucky 87-64 in the first of four Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinal games Friday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Tessa Johnson added 15 points and Ta'Niya Latson 12 for the top-seeded Gamecocks, who raced to a 17-point halftime lead and never let up. South Carolina (30-2) looked laser focused as it began its quest for a fourth straight SEC Tournament title and 10th in the past 12 seasons under coach Dawn Staley, shooting 53% from the field, forcing 19 turnovers and outscoring Kentucky 46-24 in the paint. Amelia Hassett had 15 points and Clara Strack scored 13 to lead Kentucky (23-10). The Gamecocks will play Saturday against the winner of the game between No. 6 LSU and No. 7 Oklahoma. Kentucky, the ninth seed, was playing its third game in three days following a 94-64 win over Arkansas and a 76-61 victory over Georgia with Strack combining for 53 points and 21 rebounds. Whether or not fatigue played a factor, the Wildcats simply looked a step behind the fresh Gamecocks all game. South Carolina raced out to a 44-27 lead at the half, using a big height advantage to dominate the paint 20-12 and a stifling defense to force 10 turnovers. Tessa Johnson provided the early spark with 12 points in the first half and Okot had a double-double before the break. South Carolina kept its foot on the gas in the second half, using a 13-6 run to build a 24-point lead and was never threatened again. The big lead allowed Staley to rest her starters for the majority of the second half to keep them fresh for Saturday.

Up next Kentucky: The Wildcats will await their NCAA Tournament fate, where they hope they've done enough to earn a top 16 spot and the opportunity to host the first two rounds. South Carolina: Will play on Saturday in the semifinals. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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