Cuevas-Moore leads (5) Gamecocks to 66-63 win

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Bianca Cuevas-Moore had a career-high 25 points and No. 5 South Carolina held off Georgia 66-63 on Thursday night without injured All-American A’ja Wilson.

Alaina Coates added her 52nd career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Gamecocks (14-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference). No doubt South Carolina missed Wilson, the 6-foot-5 scoring leader who sprained her right ankle at Florida on Sunday and wore a pink cast as she walked on crutches to the sideline.

Wilson, who has not practiced, remains day to day.

But it was the 5-6 Cuevas-Moore, part of the same recruiting class as Wilson, who came off the bench to power the Gamecocks to their 26th straight win against SEC competition.

Not that Georgia (10-7, 2-2) went down easily. The Lady Bulldogs had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but Haley Clark missed the second of two free throws. Allisha Gray got the rebound for South Carolina, was fouled and made both shots for the final margin.

Stephanie Paul tried a desperation 3-pointer from the left corner that was off the mark as time ran out.

Pachis Roberts led Georgia with 17 points.

Cuevas-Moore, who lost the starting point guard role earlier this year, topped her previous best of 21 points set against Ole Miss during her freshman season.

THE BIG PICTURE

Georgia: The Lady Bulldogs came in after two straight SEC wins and took a strong South Carolina punch in the first quarter to trail 20-7. But Georgia rallied in the second quarter behind Pachis Roberts and Mackenzie Engram for a 18-4 run to take the lead. Roberts and Engram were relentless in dragging the Lady Bulldogs back in it.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks appeared like they were ready to make up for Wilson’s absence with a strong opening period where Coates had eight points and eight rebounds. But South Carolina scuffled for much of the second quarter, scoring just 10 points. Its high profile transfers in Kaela Davis and Allisha Gray were a combined 2-of-10 shooting in the first half, something that will have to improve if Wilson’s injury lingers for more than couple of games. … Wilson has not practiced since her injury last Sunday and used a cart to keep her bad right ankle elevated during pregame.

UP NEXT

Georgia stays on the road to face Kentucky on Sunday.

South Carolina travels to LSU on Sunday.