No. 1 South Carolina beats No. 20 Maryland 101-93 in Paris

South Carolina opened its 2026-27 season with a 101-93 victory over Maryland in Paris on Monday. The top-ranked Gamecocks took control of the game in the first half and held onto the lead despite a late surge by the Terrapins.

Joyce Edwards led all scorers with 23 points. She struggled early, missing her only two shots in the first quarter, but found her rhythm in the second quarter. Edwards went 6-for-8 from the field during that stretch to finish the half with 13 points.

The Gamecocks established a dominant early lead. South Carolina recorded 27 fast-break points in the opening 20 minutes and generated 21 points off Maryland turnovers. The team hit its first seven shots of the game and ended the first quarter at 9-for-15 from the field.

Maryland struggled to find its footing early. The Terrapins went 3-for-15 in the opening 10 minutes, including a 1-for-6 start. By the end of the first quarter, South Carolina led 33-13.

Addi Mack provided the spark for Maryland in the second half. She scored 31 of her 35 total points after the break. Her 35 points represented a career high and a game high. Mack shot 14-for-20 from the field, including 6-for-10 from beyond the arc.

The Terrapins closed the gap late in the game. They cut a 61-33 halftime deficit to 89-80 with 4:30 remaining. The run forced South Carolina coach Dawn Staley to call a timeout. After the break, the Gamecocks responded with a 7-0 run to reassert control.

Maryland made its final push to within six points, trailing 96-90. Jordan Lee and Jerzy Robinson each hit two free throws to secure the final margin. Lee finished with 13 points, while Robinson contributed 15. Tessa Johnson also scored 15 points for South Carolina.

Agot Mateer added 20 points for the Gamecocks. Two South Carolina players played in their hometowns. Alicia Tournabize, a sophomore, and Justine Loubens, a freshman, both hail from France. Tournabize became the first documented French woman to dunk in a game in September 2024.

Tournabize had a chance for an alley-oop early in the first quarter, but a pass from Robinson resulted in a three-pointer that extended the lead. Loubens entered in the second quarter and recorded a steal and an assist on a transition basket from Edwards.

South Carolina will face No. 12 North Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday. Maryland will host George Mason in its next game on Sunday.