Joyce Johnson scores 22 points as No. 3 South Carolina beats Arkansas 93-58

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Joyce Edwards scored 22 points and led four South Carolina players in double figures as the No. 3 Gamecocks beat Arkansas 93-58 on Thursday night.

Edwards, who entered third in the Southeastern Conference in scoring, finished one point above her season average. She played just 25 minutes as South Carolina coach Dawn Staley began going to her bench midway through the third quarter.

The Gamecocks (16-1, 3-0 SEC) raced to a 17-point lead in the first quarter and maintained that advantage until the break.

Arkansas (11-7, 0-3) stuck around by making three 3-pointers and grabbing seven offensive rebounds against a Gamecocks team that averaged a plus-15 rebounding margin entering the game.

South Carolina went on a 15-2 run over five minutes near the end of the third period, extending its lead to 33 points. Arkansas committed as many turnovers – five – as it made field goals in the quarter, as the Gamecocks ultimately scored 30 points off Arkansas' 23 giveaways.

Tessa Johnson scored 19 points for South Carolina, while Raven Johnson and Madina Okot added 14 apiece.

Jada Bates, who averaged the fewest points (2.1) on Arkansas’ roster, scored a career-high 16 points to lead the Razorbacks.

South Carolina has lost just one SEC game since Dec. 30, 2021. Thursday’s win over Arkansas was the Gamecocks’ 11th straight in the series. The Razorbacks have now lost four straight.

South Carolina: Hosts Georgia on Sunday.

Arkansas: At No. 20 Tennessee on Sunday.

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