The South Carolina women's basketball team defeated Vanderbilt 103-74 on Sunday, handing the Commodores their first loss of the season and ending their historic 20-0 start. The Gamecocks delivered a dominant performance at Colonial Life Arena, bouncing back from a recent overtime defeat to Oklahoma. UConn remains the only undefeated team in women's college basketball.
South Carolina, ranked No. 2 or No. 4 depending on the source, showcased an all-around effort against No. 4 or No. 5 Vanderbilt in a game played on January 25, 2026, at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. The Gamecocks shot an impressive 62% from the field and 59% from three-point range, making 10 of 17 attempts. They led by double figures for most of the night, outscoring Vanderbilt 27-12 in the third quarter to build an 82-56 lead entering the fourth.
Senior Ta'Niya Latson led South Carolina with 21 points, while junior guard Tessa Johnson added 20 points, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc—her fourth straight double-digit scoring game. Mississippi State transfer Madina Okot was efficient in the paint, scoring 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting. Leading scorer Joyce Edwards contributed 16 points. The victory avenged South Carolina's 94-82 overtime loss to No. 16 Oklahoma on Thursday.
Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes, the team's leading scorer, finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, but South Carolina's defense snapped her eight-game streak of 25 or more points on the road. Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda added 13 points and four rebounds, the only other Commodore in double figures. Justine Pissott struggled with eight points on 3-of-7 shooting amid foul trouble, and freshman Aubrey Galvan scored seven. Vanderbilt shot 46% from the field but committed 20 turnovers and was outrebounded, allowing South Carolina to capitalize early with a 9-0 run off three straight Commodores' mistakes in the first quarter. They surrendered 33 points in the opening period, their highest in a quarter this season.
Now 20-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC, Vanderbilt looks to rebound against No. 18 Ole Miss on Thursday. South Carolina, 20-2 and also 6-1 in conference play, hosts Auburn the same day. The game was broadcast on ESPN.
