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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) - The South Carolina women’s basketball team opened Thursday's game against Savannah State on a 16-1 run and never looked back.

Sophomore Aleighsa Welch led the team in points and rebounds scoring her first career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds in the 78-47 win.

The Gamecock defense held Savannah State to 36 percent shooting from the field.

"That was a pretty good stretch [of defense to start the game]," said USC head coach Dawn Staley said. "Our team was really buying into what the game plan was. For us, the magic trick is to do it for 40 minutes, and we’re not there yet. We had a lot of lapses…[but] at the end of the game, I thought we did a better job from a defensive standpoint."

Four Gamecocks finished the night in double figures behind Welch’s 13 points. Asia Dozier posted 11 while Tiffany Mitchell and Ieasia Walker added 10 each. Ashley Bruner matched Welch’s effort on the backboard by collecting 12 rebounds.

The Gamecocks' 3-0 record matches Dawn Staley's best start since she took the head coaching job at South Carolina.

Sophomore Tiffany Davis left late in the game with a right knee sprain. She will be evaluated further in the coming days.

South Carolina is back in action at home Sunday at 3 p.m. against Clemson.