COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — The South Carolina Gamecocks, powered by a dominant interior presence and stifling defense, methodically dispatched the Georgia Bulldogs 65-43 in a Southeastern Conference women’s basketball game Sunday at a sold-out Colonial Life Arena.

A crowd of 15,536 watched the Gamecocks (17-1, 3-0 SEC) control the game from the opening tip, holding the visiting Bulldogs (15-3, 1-2) to a season-low in points and their worst shooting performance of the year. Georgia managed just 27% from the field, connecting on 17 of 63 attempts, and was held to a paltry 14 points in the paint.

The most important part of the game was South Carolina’s immediate and overwhelming establishment of defensive control in the first half, which rendered Georgia’s offense ineffective and created an insurmountable deficit. The Bulldogs, coming off a tough loss to LSU, were ice-cold from the start, scoring only seven points in each of the first two quarters. They missed 12 of their first 13 shots and committed 10 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, allowing South Carolina to build a 30-14 halftime lead despite its own early shooting struggles from beyond the arc.

South Carolina’s offense was not sharp early, but its defense and rebounding created a relentless stream of second chances and high-percentage looks. The Gamecocks outrebounded Georgia 53-38 overall and grabbed 14 offensive boards, leading to a commanding 38-14 advantage in points in the paint.

Madina Okot, the 6-foot-6 center from Mumias, Kenya, was the top star for South Carolina, recording a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in just 24 minutes, adding two blocks. Her presence in the lane altered countless Georgia attempts and anchored the defensive effort.

Joyce Edwards, a forward from Camden, added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Raven Johnson chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds. Agot Makeer of Thunder Bay, Canada, contributed eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks off the bench.

For Georgia, only Rylie Theuerkauf of Tenafly, N.J., reached double figures, scoring 16 points, but she needed 37 minutes to do so on 6-of-17 shooting. Trinity Turner of Orlando, Fla., posted eight points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Zhen Craft of Waldorf, Md., added 11 points and eight rebounds. The Bulldogs’ offensive rating of 55.6 points per 100 possessions underscored the difficulty of operating against South Carolina’s defensive scheme.

The Gamecocks slowly extended their lead in the third quarter, pushing it to 48-30 heading into the final period. Georgia showed a brief spark with a 7-0 run early in the fourth, capped by a Theuerkauf 3-pointer that cut the deficit to 50-37 with 8:47 remaining. However, South Carolina responded immediately with a Raven Johnson pull-up jumper and never allowed the Bulldogs within 15 points again, closing the game on a 15-6 run.

South Carolina, which came into the game as a heavy 31.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, improved its home record to 9-0 this season. The total score of 108 fell well under the pregame over/under line of 140.5, a testament to the defensive struggle.

Georgia, which had won 15 of its first 17 games, has now dropped two straight conference contests. The Bulldogs will look to rebound next Sunday when they host Mississippi.

South Carolina continues its SEC slate Thursday, hosting Texas in a marquee conference matchup.