No. 17 WBB holds off Gamecocks 66-56

Merideth Marsh led all VU scorers with 15 points with eight rebounds and three steals.

Jan. 25, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Merideth Marsh scored 15 points and Vanderbilt (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP) overcame its first loss in the Southeastern Conference with a 66-56 victory over South Carolina on Sunday.

Christina Wirth added 14 points and Jennifer Risper 13 for the Commodores, who lost at Georgia on Thursday and were .500 on the road before winning their eighth straight against the Gamecocks.

The only time Vanderbilt (15-5, 4-1) trailed was at 3-2 and they led by as many as 16.

Risper scored nine straight points in a 4-minute span of the first half that pushed the lead to 31-18, and the closest South Carolina (9-10, 1-5) got after that was seven.

The Gamecocks played the final 30 minutes without leading scorer Brionna Dickerson, who had to be helped off the court with a knee injury and did not return.

C.J. Pace led the Gamecocks with a career-high 19 points.