At halftime, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley praised her team’s connectedness on defense, and that group was possibly even more suffocating than usual. After Purdue (4-3) scored its 10th point with 5:26 to go in the first quarter, South Carolina (7-1) allowed only eight points in the next 15-plus minutes, running out to a 53-18 lead.

Early success by Purdue women's basketball couldn't be maintained in loss to reigning national champion, No. 4 ranked South Carolina.

It’s South Carolina vs Purdue in the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament. Follow for live score updates, game highlights from Florida.