CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Te-Hina Paopao had 13 points and Ashlyn Watkins added 10 points and 11 rebounds as No. 1 South Carolina set a school record with its 43rd straight win, 77-45, over rival Clemson on Wednesday night. The Gamecocks (5-0) struggled to find the basket for about 15 minutes and trailed 17-12 midway through the second quarter before breaking off a 17-0 run to take control. South Carolina’s previous best was 42 wins in a row, which started with the 2022 NCAA Tournament where it won the national championship and continued until the 2023 Final Four where it lost to Iowa 77-73. Loyal McQueen led Clemson (3-1) with 15 points.   Key moment Clemson took a 17-12 lead on Mia Moore’s 3-pointer with five minutes left in the second quarter. That’s when South Carolina found its touch to ignite a 17-0 run to the break. The Gamecocks made 8 of 15 shots in that stretch after hitting just six of 29 attempts to that point.   Key Stat South Carolina’s defense was dominant once more as it forced Clemson into a season-high 19 turnovers and outrebounded the Tigers 54-30.   Gamecock Notables With the win over Clemson, South Carolina set a new program record of 43 consecutive victories. The Gamecocks went heavy in the paint, outscoring the Tigers 44-10. 11 of 12 players who saw game time scored at least three points, with the South Carolina bench outscoring Clemson’s 43-3. South Carolina’s offense switched things up in the second quarter, going on a 17-0 run to claim the lead highlighted by a 3 at the buzzer from Tessa Johnson to put the Gamecocks up 12 at the break. Te-Hina Paopao led the way with 13 points, putting up six in the second quarter to help give the lead to the Gamecocks, all while dishing out two assists and grabbing a team-high two steals. Junior Ashlyn Watkins posted her first double-double of the season, netting 10 points,including the bucket to put South Carolina back on top in the second quarter, to go with 11 boards. Freshman Joyce Edwards finished the night with eight points, scoring back-to-back layups in the third quarter as part of a 10-0 run by South Carolina to put the Gamecocksup by 23. Freshman Maddy McDaniel posted a season-high seven points against the Tigers, knocking down her first career three in the fourth quarter. Categories: Local Sports, South Carolina Sports, Sports, USC Gamecocks