KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Reserve Alicia Manning scored a career-high 22 points and No. 4 Tennessee beat South Carolina 82-60 on Thursday night, extending its winning streak in the series to 40 straight.
Manning hit a 3-pointer to cap an early 17-2 run that gave the Lady Vols a 21-7 lead with 10:07 left in the first half. After going 8:12 without hitting a field goal, South Carolina got back-to-back 3s by Markeshia Grant and a layup from Ieasia Walker to cut Tennessee’s margin to 21-5.
The Gamecocks got one point closer a few minutes later off a three-point play by Walker. Another Manning 3 pushed Tennessee’s lead back into double digits with 1:32 to go before halftime, and the Lady Vols (25-2, 13-0 Southeastern Conference) pulled away quickly in the second half.
Walker scored 16 points for South Carolina (15-11, 7-6), which hasn’t beaten Tennessee since Jan. 23, 1980.
