STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Chloe Kitts had 17 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 2 South Carolina erase a double-digit deficit and beat Mississippi State 95-68 on Sunday. Mississippi State had an 11-point lead midway through the second quarter before the game shifted. South Carolina outscored the Bulldogs 19-2 in the final five minutes of the period to get the lead and extend it to 42-34 at halftime. The Gamecocks never looked back. The defending national champions outscored the Bulldogs 26-11 in the third to earn the rout. The Gamecocks (13-1, 2-0 SEC) got 20 points from Tessa Johnson, who made four 3-pointers. Te-Hina PaoPao finished with 15 points, five assists and four rebounds and Joyce Edwards had 10 points. Jerkaila Jordan had 24 points to lead the Bulldogs (13-3, 0-2). Destiney McPhaul had 14 points off the bench and Eniya Russell scored 12. Takeaways Mississippi State: It was a solid first punch for the Bulldogs out of the gates, but the team played too carelessly to pull off the upset. South Carolina: While it remains to be seen if the Gamecocks can win yet another SEC and national championship, they certainly looked the part of a team that can do it for the final 25 minutes. Categories: South Carolina Sports, Sports, USC Gamecocks