Top-ranked South Carolina women hold off No. 11 Utah for 78-69 win in Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase #Topranked #South #Carolina #women #hold #Utah #win #Hall #Fame #Womens #Showcase

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Kamilla Cardoso scored 17 points and Te-Hina Paopao added 15 on Sunday to help top-ranked South Carolina hold off No. 11 Utah 78-69 at the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase.

Freshmen MiLaysia Fulwiley and Chloe Kitts each added 11 for the Gamecocks (9-0), who have beaten four ranked teams this season.

Alissa Pili made 15 of her 23 shots from the floor and finished with 37 points for Utah (8-2).

South Carolina led for all but 43 seconds during the game, but led by just seven points at the half and five after three quarters.

Pili helped Utah cut the lead to two points on several occasions, but South Carolina always responded with a run.

It was still a five-point lead with 3 1/2 minutes left when Pili hit a fall-away in the lane over Cordoso to make it 69-65. A layup by Dasia Young the next time down the floor cut the lead to 69-67.

But Utah could not get over the hump and South Carolina scored nine of the game’s final 11 points.

Utah’s 6-foot-2 star Pili had 21 first-half points, but picked up her third foul on an offensive screen with just under five minutes to play in the half.

Utah had won six in a row since falling by seven points to Baylor on Nov. 14.

BIG PICTURE

Utah: The Utes were playing their second game without junior guard Gianna Kneepkens, who was averaging over 17 points a game before breaking her right foot against BYU last weekend. She is out for the season.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks came in giving up just 50 points per game and held Utah 27 points under its season average.