JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Alaina Coates had 14 points and 12 rebounds, her 16th double-double of the season, and No. 3 South Carolina used another solid defensive effort to beat Auburn 57-48 in the Southeastern Conference women's tournament Friday.
The top-seeded Gamecocks (29-1) won their seventh straight since losing to top-ranked Connecticut and advanced to the SEC semifinals for the third consecutive year. They will face either No. 13 Kentucky or 25th-ranked Florida on Saturday.
No. 9 seed Auburn (19-12) posed little resistance despite keeping the game close for a quarter and a half.
South Carolina overwhelmed the Tigers with its size and length, pounding the ball inside, creating easy baskets and getting Auburn in foul trouble.
Brandy Montgomery led the Tigers with 18 points.
