How a dominant Aliyah Boston paced South Carolina women to their latest SEC win

Aliyah Boston bopped her left hand to the beat as Darude’s “Sandstorm” blared around Colonial Life Arena.

She followed the hand bops with a shimmy or two matched just a few feet away by fellow forward Victaria Saxton. Both laughed at their respective moves when the house lights lifted.

“I’ve been told I’m not a good dancer,” Boston deadpanned postgame. “... I have some haters, but it’s OK. I’m getting better.”

While Boston and Saxton boogied, Ole Miss forward Shakira Austin stepped around the mid-court mosh pit, worn out from 20 minutes of battle with South Carolina’s dynamic frontcourt. She glared into the sea of white towels and iPhone flashlights coating the seats before her.

Facing one of the nation’s elite forwards in Austin, it was Boston, Saxton and South Carolina that had something worth celebrating with a tango or two on Thursday as No. 1 USC (18-1, 7-1 SEC) rolled over No. 24 Ole Miss (17-3, 5-2) 69-40.

“Just disappointed in our performance,” Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said. “We got our ass kicked for 40 minutes.”

Thursday was supposed to bring No. 10 UConn to Columbia for a rematch between the Huskies and Gamecocks after South Carolina took home a sun-soaked November win over Geno Auriemma’s bunch in the Bahamas.

USC head coach Dawn Staley instead called off the UConn game, siding for a meeting with the recently ranked Rebels and Austin, who’s among the few players that might challenge Boston for SEC frontcourt supremacy.

Austin — whose 14.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per night rank her among the SEC’s best — has been at the center of a recent overhaul in Oxford from perpetual league bottom-feeder to a squad that earned its first appearance in The Associated Press Top 25 Poll since 2007 this week.

Staley’s plan for slowing Austin boiled down to a simple formula: Saxton would match up one-on one; when she needed the help, Boston would slide over for a double-team.

The approach consistently pushed Austin beyond the 3-point arc, forcing her to receive away from the paint. When she did catch deep in the post, she was forced into step-backs and fade-away jumpers.

As Austin fought for position underneath midway through the second quarter, Boston tipped an entry pass back to its initial Rebel handler. Again, a pass was sent toward Austin. She caught this one before clanking a 15-foot jump shot attempt over Boston’s outstretched hand.

Austin’s 47.2% field-goal percentage ranked third among SEC forwards heading into the night. She finished her frustrating outing in Columbia 5-of-18 shooting and finding four of her 15 points at the free-throw line.

“When they the first person guarding you is 6-4, you beat them and the second person guarding you is 6-3, it does make it difficult,” Austin said.

Boston has been the SEC’s and, perhaps, the nation’s most dominant frontcourt presence during the 2021-2022 campaign. Her 17 points per game ranked second among SEC forwards heading into Thursday. Those 11.5 rebounds per night? Those sit second among all league players. That’s not to mention her SEC-leading 56.1% field-goal percentage.

On Thursday, there was an ease to Boston’s dominance. She hit a baseline jumper from the left side of the bucket. She later split a pair of Ole Miss defenders, finished through contact and drained the ensuing free throw. It all equated to a quiet 15 points and four boards in the first half.

Ole Miss tried throwing a 1-3-1 zone at Boston first. That lasted all of one possession. Forward Iyania Kitchens notched the next defensive effort to no avail. Finally, it was Austin who mitigated Boston in spurts, but couldn’t quite find the defensive consistency to slow the SEC’s most dominant force.

Boston’s night ended as it has most nights of late, with a double-double — her 13th in a row — courtesy of 22 points and 12 rebounds over 27 minutes.

“She just doesn’t stop with you stopping her,” Staley said.

South Carolina legend A’ja Wilson sat courtside during Thursday’s game. The crowd roared in approval as Wilson was shown to the 13,973 fans in Colonial Life Arena.

Wilson’s presence brought reminders of days past — days when she dashed through opposing defenses with ease; days when she sent the crowd into a frenzy with her on-court prowess.

“In college, I was like I’m just here for the thrill and the vibes,” Wilson told a pool of reporters while waiting to surprise Staley and Boston in South Carolina’s media room after the game. “All this extra stuff, it’s cool, but I never (wanted to) lose sight of who I am and I think you see it in Aliyah will. She’s killing it in her own fashion.”

Their skill sets differ, but watching Boston it’s hard not to envision a prolific professional career as Wilson has enjoyed.

Boston took another step in that endeavor Thursday with a complete effort against one of the SEC and nation’s best forwards. That’s something worth two-stepping about.