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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Alaina Coates thinks she and post partner Aja Wilson have picked up right where they left off -- and thats a bad sign for No. 3 South Carolinas opponents.I pretty much feel like were back to where we were, Coates said.Theyd get no arguments from Maine after the Gamecocks ran off to a 79-42 victory on Monday night in the Basketball Hall of Fame Womens Challenge.The 6-foot-5 Wilson had 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting while 6-4 Coates had 12 points and 14 rebounds. The two did about whatever they wanted most of the way against the undersized, young Black Bears (2-3).Theyre good, Maine coach Richard Barron said. What else can you say?The Gamecocks (3-0) used their defense to make quick work of Maine, starting on a 15-0 run, then outscoring their opponents 13-0 to open the third quarter. South Carolina eventually grew the lead to 41 points in the final period.Freshman Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, at 6-2 the primary post backup for Wilson and Coates, added 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and picked up eight boards.South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said when Coates and Wilson play with efficiency and speed, it helps in teaching Herbert Harrigan the right way to play.When she sees our two bigs clicking like that, it kind of becomes contagious, Staley said. She had a pretty good basketball game.The Gamecocks outrebounded Maine 42-27 while Wilson had four of their five blocked shots. Coates swatted away the other.South Carolinas two high-profile transfers, Kaela Davis and Allisha Gray, also finished in double figures with 10 points each. Julie Brosseau had 11 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead the Black Bears.BIG PICTUREMaine: The Black Bears opened with a surprise win at Purdue, but lost for the third time in the past four games. They dont have the size to match up with teams like No. 7 Mississippi State (a 44-point loss on Nov. 12) or the third-ranked Gamecocks. But Maine, which starts four freshmen, showed off some shooting touch in a 59-43 win over St. Peters on Sunday night. Laia Sole, who scored 16 points in the St. Peters win, was named the American East rookie of the week for the second straight time this season.Whats it like starting four freshmen? Its a little bit better than starting five, Maines Barron said.South Carolina: The Gamecocks wont go wrong going inside this season to Wilson and Coates. Coates had 10 points and 12 rebounds by halftime to collect her second double-double of the season and 44th of her career.POLL IMPLICATIONSSouth Carolina will have one more tune up on Tuesday night before things get serious when it faces No. 4 Louisville on Sunday. Lose that one and count on the Gamecocks to tumble from the top five.YOUNG GAMECOCKSAfter taking its big lead, South Carolina played several young players in the final quarter like Herbert Harrigan, Victoria Patrick, Araion Bradshaw and Tyasha Harris, all freshmen. Staley said the group has to get experience because the Gamecocks have only four juniors or seniors returning with significant experience Wilson, Coates, point guard Bianca Cuevas-Moore and guard Tiffany Davis.We may need the young players at some point this season, Staley said.STREAK ENDERWilson set a school record on Sunday night, going 14 of 14 from the foul line in defeating Hampton 92-38. Could Wilson keep it going? No as she missed her first free throw against Maine and finished 0-2 at the line.UP NEXTMaine takes on Hampton here at the Colonial Life Arena on Tuesday night as part of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Challenge.South Carolina finishes a three-game homestand on Tuesday, facing St. Peters as part of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Challenge. David Alaba Bayern Munich Jersey . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Jan Kirchhoff Bayern Munich Jersey . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. http://www.soccerfcbayernshop.com/kids-sven-ulreich-bayern-munich-jersey/ .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Juan Bernat Jersey . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. Juan Bernat Bayern Munich Jersey . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. DENVER -- Mike Montgomery was on a strict pitch count but did all he could to stretch it in his starting debut for the Chicago Cubs.Montgomery pitched four hitless inning before the low pitch count and a mistake ended his day two outs too soon, as the Cubs cruised to a 9-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.Kris Bryant launched a long homer and drove in four runs, and Ben Zobrist had three hits and also went deep for Chicago.Montgomery was solid in his first start since coming over in a trade with Seattle on July 20 but didnt stick around long enough to earn the decision. Manager Joe Maddon was cautious with the young left-hander and took him out after giving up a one-out homer in the fourth, the first and only hit he allowed.Montgomery threw just 60 pitches but had not started since July 17 with the Mariners. His first seven appearances with Chicago were out of the bullpen, so Maddon kept him on a strict pitch count.Its almost like spring training for him right now. Just stretching him out, Maddon said. I thought he was outstanding. Would I have loved to have left him out there? Absolutely.He walked two batters through four innings and got Ryan Raburn to start the fifth, but Nick Hundley got Colorados first hit off the lefty with a solo blast to left that made it 7-1.Maddon took him out after the homer and Trevor Cahill (3-3) pitched the final 4 2/3 innings for the win.As a competitor I wanted to stay in, Montgomery said. I was a little pissed but I understand the situation and the pitch count. Thats just how it goes. I felt good but I respect the decision.Miguel Montero had three hits and drove in three for the Cubs, who spoiled the major league debut of Rockies starter Jeff Hoffman.I felt very comfortable here, Hoffman said. I dont know why that was. I was really expecting to be nervous, to be jittery, all that stuff. For my first big league game, this was exactly what I was expecting.ddddddddddddHoffman (0-1), a former first-round pick who was acquired a year ago as part of the deal that sent Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto, started off well but ran into trouble the second time through against the NL Central leaders.Bryant made it 7-0 in the fifth with his 31st homer, a three-run drive that went an estimated 469 feet to dead center.It was scoreless until the fourth, when Dexter Fowler led with a single, went to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Hoffman and came home on Bryants single.Anthony Rizzo followed with a single, Zobrists double made it 2-0 and Montero beat the shift with a two-run single to right.The three-run homer hurt, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. The big one was that two-run single by Montero. We get an out there, were in good shape.Hoffman allowed seven runs -- six earned -- on seven hits in four-plus innings.The Cubs added a run in the eighth and another on Zobrists 14th homer in the ninth.TRAINERS ROOMRockies: CF Charlie Blackmon was not in the starting lineup for the second straight game because of a bruised right toe. Manager Walt Weiss said Blackmon originally hurt it colliding with Washington pitcher Gio Gonzalez on Tuesday. Weiss said he doesnt think its a long-term issue but as of now running in the outfield is tough for Blackmon.ROSTER MOVEThe Rockies optioned RHP Christian Bergman to Albuquerque in order to recall Hoffman from Triple-A. To make room for Hoffman on the 40-man roster, Colorado placed LHP Jason Gurka on waivers for the purpose of granting him his unconditional release. Gurka pitched nine games for Colorado last year.UP NEXTThe Cubs will send RHP Jason Hammel (13-5, 2.75) against his former team to face Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa (7-7, 5.29) in the series finale Sunday. ' ' '