Hardesty, a former NFL player, comes to Columbia after spending the past two seasons as part of the Charlotte football coaching staff, working under head coach Will Healy as the 49ers’ wide receivers coach.
Zia Cooke hit three 3-pointers in a 50-second span of the first quarter as the Gamecocks jumped ahead 26-6 over the Tigers (5-12, 0-9). She had 14 points in the quarter, including a bank shot at the buzzer.
Zia Cooke scored 12 of her 21 points in the third quarter as No. 4 South Carolina won its 18th straight over Alabama and 28th in a row over Southeastern Conference opponents with an 87-63 victory on Sunday.
AJ Lawson led South Carolina (4-6, 2-4) with 21 points. Keyshawn Bryant scored 13 points, Justin Minaya and Seventh Woods added 11 apiece, and Trae Hannibal had 10.
Bryant finished with 19 points, a season-high 10 rebounds and a career-best tying three steals. Jermain Couisnard added 18 points, AJ Lawson scored 12 points and Justin Minaya 10.
Shane Beamer’s first season at South Carolina will include home games against Florida, Auburn, and Clemson.
Gamecock head coach Dawn Staley, who is also the current National Team head coach, will lead the four-day minicamp.
During the spring season the Gamecocks will play just one match per week with no SEC schedule formally put in place after the conference completed its season during the fall of 2020 where the Gamecocks finished 7-3-0 (6-2-0 SEC).
Aliyah Boston scored 11 of her 20 points in the second half and grabbed 14 rebounds to help No. 4 South Carolina secure a 69-65 victory over LSU on Sunday.
This is the first time South Carolina has allowed 100 or more points in a game since the 1995-96 season against Vanderbilt.
