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Top-seeded South Carolina powers past Jacksonville 77-41

Mar 19, 2016 - 2:59 AM COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina forward Alaina Coates said coach Dawn Staley had a stern, succinct message for her cold-shooting Gamecocks early on against Jacksonville.

''She told us to pound the ball in the paint,'' Coates said.

It's worked for the top-seeded Gamecocks all season - and it worked once more to start the NCAA Tournament as twin post powers Coates and A'ja Wilson each had double doubles to lift South Carolina to a 77-41 victory over Jacksonville on Friday night.

The 6-foot-4 Coates had 22 points and 10 rebounds while 6-5 Wilson had 15 points and 11 boards.

The Gamecocks (32-1) next play No. 9 seed Kansas State on Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16. Expect the game plan to go much like it did against first-time NCAA participant Dolphins (22-11).

South Carolina started just 2 of 9 from the field, often settling for shots away from the basket. Soon enough, though, Staley's words got through and began a game of pitch and catch between Gamecock guards and Coates and Wilson. The two combined to shoot 15 of 30 from the field as the smaller Dolphins - their tallest player is 6-1 - had no way to respond.

''They just wore us down,'' Jacksonville coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said. ''We just physically could not match with their bigs.''

Not many teams can. The one team that did this season was three-time defending NCAA champion UConn, who defeated South Carolina 66-54 a month ago.

Staley liked how her team stepped things up in the second half to turn an 11-point game into a blowout. The NCAA Tournament is a process, Staley says. She hopes to have the Gamecocks primed to challenge the Huskies at the Final Four next month.

''Obviously, we've been in this situation before. We're familiar with it and nothing's going to catch us off guard,'' Staley said. ''So it's a process for our players to see what issues we had in this game and try and correct those things.''

The Dolphins were the Atlantic Sun Conference champions who came in with an eight-game winning streak, but quickly fell behind and could not catch up.

Briona Brown had 17 points to lead Jacksonville.

Tiffany Mitchell had 14 points for South Carolina, who has beaten its past five first-round opponents by an average of 27 points.

Jacksonville was ready to enjoy its first NCAA Tournament experience and, as coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said Thursday, maybe ''throw a little scare'' into the Gamecocks.

That did not happen, although the Dolphins did hold a 2-0 lead on Sherranda Riddick's two foul shots. Jacksonville didn't score again for another six minutes as the Gamecocks steadily took over.

They were ahead by nine points at the end of the quarter and led 32-21 at the break.

Wilson, both the Southeastern Conference's player of the year and defensive player of the year, was her dominant self, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds the first two quarters.

Jacksonville couldn't hold up against South Carolina's quick hands and pressure defense. The Gamecocks forced 21 turnovers and finished with 14 steals, their third highest total this season.

TIP-INS

Jacksonville: McPhee-McCuin spent three seasons as a Clemson assistant coach and tried to forewarn her players about how loud Colonial Life Arena can get. ... When Jacksonville defeated Florida Gulf Coast to win the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament, it snapped the Eagles' 45-game win streak against conference opponents and 71-game home win streak in the league.

South Carolina: This is the Gamecocks fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the longest streak in program history. ... South Carolina has outscored opponents at the foul line 27 times this season and has made more foul shots (516) than its opponents have attempted (464).

LOTS OF BIGS

South Carolina standouts Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson will have more of a challenge against Kansas State, 56-51 winners over No. 8 seed George Washington earlier Friday. The Wildcats are led by 6-5 Breanna Lewis and have two other players who are 6-3 in Jessica Sheble and Lanie Page.

DOLPHINS BLUE PRINT

Jacksonville coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin promised afterward that her team not be a one-and-done NCAA Tournament team - once she gets some work done. She said the Gamecocks' inside game showed the Dolphins' deficiencies. ''That's what it is, so I have to go recruit'' taller players, she said, smiling.

UP NEXT

No. 1 seed South Carolina faces No. 9 seed Kansas State on Sunday night.