No. 2 South Carolina tops Duke to reach title game in Players Era Championship

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Madina Okot had 23 points and No. 2 South Carolina (6-0) defeated Duke, 83-66, in the semifinals of the Players Era Championship on Wednesday.

South Carolina will face No. 4 Texas in Thursday’s championship, while Duke will play No. 3 UCLA for third place. Texas beat UCLA, 76-65, earlier in the day.

Joyce Edwards scored 22 points for the Gamecocks, while AP preseason All-American Ta’Niya Latson finished with 12. Raven Johnson also contributed with 10 points.

Toby Fournier led Duke (3-4) with 16 points. Riley Nelson finished with 14 points and Ashlon Jackson had 11.

The Gamecocks, who came into the game having scored 56.6% of their points in the paint this season, did so Wednesday with 69.8% of their points against Duke coming in the key, where they outscored the Blue Devils 58-28.

Duke held a one-point lead through one quarter, outscoring the Gamecocks, 15-14, while holding South Carolina to just 37.5% (6 of 16) shooting.

The Gamecocks came alive in the second quarter, though, outscoring the Blue Devils, 26-12, while turning the tables to put the defensive clamps on Duke, which hit just 5 of 14 (35.7%) from the floor in the period.

South Carolina held a 40-27 lead at halftime, despite going 0 for 7 from 3-point range. The Gamecocks finished the game 1 of 10 from behind the arc.

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