Boston sets record, No. 1 Gamecocks top Arkansas 92-46

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Aliyah Boston showed oncemore her consistency is every bit as important as her enormoustalent.

Boston had her program record-setting 73rd double double with 13points and 14 rebounds as No. 1 South Carolina moved to 20-0 with adominating 92-46 victory over Arkansas on Sunday.

Boston’s coach, Dawn Staley, has watched the 6-foot-5All-American stay engaged and focused despite junk defenses withthree or four players aiming to limit her production. Very littlehas worked the past four seasons.

“Mentally tough, mentally strong. Those are the separators forAliyah,” Staley said.

Boston takes in the information and knows in the end she’ll getthe better of things in nearly every game, Staley said.

“She’s at a place,” the coach said. “Where you really can’t stopher.”

Zia Cooke scored 24 points to lead the Gamecocks (8-0Southeastern Conference), who won their 26th straight and seventhin a row over the Razorbacks (17-5, 4-3). And just like much of thepast four seasons, the 6-foot-5 Boston was right in the center ofthings.

Boston, who tied the school mark set by Sheila Foster from1979-82 at Vanderbilt this past Thursday, came out quickly withseven points and three boards in the first quarter. She was up to11 points and six rebounds at the break.

Boston clinched the record with three rebounds on one offensivepossession that she finished with a basket. She was taken out with1:18 left in the third quarter to a loud ovation from the crowd —and South Carolina cruising 73-33.

“Hey, y’all got room for another statue?” asked Arkansas coachMike Neighbors, referring to the statue of South Carolina greatA’ja Wilson outside the arena.

It’s not that far fetched — except for the ultra humble Boston,who typically deflects attention to her teammates. She surprisedherself with her steady play over the years.

“Coming in (to college), I didn’t really know this was arecord,” Boston said. “To do it, is very exciting because, wow,who’d have thought.”

Foster, now second in South Carolina double doubles, was inattendance. She smiled and waved to the crowd after Bostonsurpassed her.

Boston is 13 away from catching LSU great Sylvia Fowles for theSEC mark of 86 double-doubles set from 2004-08.

The NCAA mark is way out of reach. Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris had128 from 2006-09 and Boston is widely expected to be the WNBA’s No.1 overall pick after this season.

Cooke, the team’s top scorer this season, had 19 points byhalftime as South Carolina blew things open in the second quarterby outscoring Arkansas 28-7 to lead 53-24.

Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina’s 6-7 backup, ended with 12points and tied her career best with 16 rebounds.

Samara Spencer had 15 points to lead Arkansas, which wasoutrebounded 74-17 overall and 32-2 on the offensive boards.

BIG PICTURE

Arkansas: The Razorbacks took No. 3 LSU down to the wire beforefalling 79-76 this past Thursday. Facing the SEC’s two undefeatedteams on the road in consecutive games proved too much forArkansas. Neighbors said he expects his team to flush thisperformance and continue a solid season as it competes for atop-four seed to the SEC Tournament.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks are the first in Division I to 20victories — 19-0 Ohio State and LSU play on Monday — and havestarted 20-0 for just the third time in coach Dawn Staley’s 15seasons. Both previous perfect runs in 2015 and 2016 got to 22-0and were ended by UConn. South Carolina has two games to playbefore heading to UConn on Feb. 5

REBOUNDING MARK

South Carolina put on a rebounding show against Arkansas,grabbing 74 boards to its opponents 17. ESPN posted that the 57rebound edge was the highest in women’s basketball against aDivision I opponent in 20 years. The Gamecocks did even better onthe offensive glass, winning that battle 32-2.

UP NEXT

Arkansas returns home to play Alabama on Thursday night.

South Carolina plays at Alabama on Jan. 29.