Columbia, SC – Chiney Ogwumike posted 21 points and 15 rebounds as No. 1 Stanford held off No. 21 South Carolina, 53-49, in a battle of undefeated teams at Colonial Life Arena.
Toni Kokenis followed with 15 points while Amber Orrange added 11 for the Cardinal (10-0), who have won their first 10 games of a season for the first time since the 1991-92 campaign.
Aleighsa Welch paced South Carolina (10-1) with 17 points and Ieasia Walker contributed 15 as the Gamecocks failed to post the best start to a season in school history.
Stanford carried a 24-19 advantage into the second half with the aid of a strong defensive effort, holding the Gamecocks to just 24.2 percent shooting over the opening 20 minutes.
The Cardinal shot 39.1 percent in the first half, but South Carolina was able to force 11 Stanford turnovers to keep the game within reach.
The Gamecocks then opened the second half with a 6-2 push to cut their deficit to 26-25 on a pair of Welch free throws, but they could not take the lead as Stanford scored five of the next six points to reopen a five-point edge.
South Carolina, however, stayed within striking distance from there until Walker capped a 9-2 spurt with a 3-pointer to give the Gamecocks a 42-40 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in the contest.
Orrange answered with a jumper at the other end to knot the game at 42, and the score would be tied two more times from there as the teams traded baskets until a Mikaela Ruef jumper put Stanford on top for good, 47-45, with 53 seconds remaining.
Walker had a chance to tie the game on South Carolina's ensuing possession after she was fouled, but she went just 1-of-2 at the line and the Cardinal were able to close out the game at the foul line.
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