Wilson has 26 points, No. 1 South Carolina routs LSU 86-62

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored a career-high 26 points and top-ranked South Carolina rode a 28-6 first-half run to rout the LSU Tigers 86-62 on Thursday night.

Twelve steals and 18 fast-break points from freshman of the year candidate Wilson broke open a close game as the Gamecocks (23-1, 11-0) unleashed their galaxy of stars.

Wilson had 14 first-half points, including the first 3-pointer of her career, as she and Khadijah Sessions led the assault. Sessions had 12 and Tiffany Mitchell had 11.

The Gamecocks took out their frustrations of a 25-point loss to Connecticut on LSU by shooting 52.5 percent in the rout.

LSU (14-10, 8-4 Southeastern Conference) had won four straight and seven of nine coming into the game but had no answer for USC’s barrage.