Women’s Hoops at Home Sunday Afternoon – University of South Carolina Athletics

On By Littum

Gamecock Notables

  • The defense has been the big difference for South Carolina in the last four games, which included three against top-15 opponents. The Gamecocks have held those four foes to 52.3 points per game. game compared to 57.5 in the first six outings of the season. The more aggressive defense has also given way to a more aggressive offense, with South Carolina scoring 21.0 fast break points per possession. game over the last four games compared to 12.0 in the first six and 28.8 points from turnovers per game. match compared to 19.2

  • Depth and balance continue to be the Gamecocks’ strength with eight players averaging at least 7.0 points over the last four games and five of them shooting at least 52.0 percent from the field.

  • South Carolina is atop the NET rankings behind a nation-leading four Quad 1 wins. The Gamecocks have 15 Quad 1 games in this season’s 30 games, which ranks them fourth in NET strength of schedule. Their NET non-conference strength of schedule is fifth

  • The Gamecocks may lack a dominant post player this season, but they haven’t missed a beat in paint points, averaging 43.0 this season to account for 53.3 percent of the offense. Over the last four games, they have scored 5.0 more paint points per game. game than in the previous six outings.

  • MiLaysia Fulwiley’s 20-point outing against TCU (Dec. 8) was her second 20-point game of the season and her second double-figure scoring game in the last three outings.

  • Freshman Maddy McDaniel continues to lead the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 6.25, and she leads the Gamecocks with 3.1 assists per game. She hasn’t had multiple turnovers in a game this season, highlighted by four turnover-free games, including three against ranked opponents. Over the past three games, McDaniel has averaged 8.3 points and 2.7 assists while shooting 66.7 percent from the field.

  • Freshman Joyce Edwards’ tireless effort and steady offense has her second on the team in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and fourth in scoring (9.2 ppg). Her 1.7 steals per match leads the team.

By the numbers
+9.0 – South Carolina tends to make its move in the second quarter, winning that period by an average of 9.0 points — the most of any quarter.

40.5 – The Gamecock bench leads the nation with 40.5 points per game. match.

41.7 – Raven Johnson shot 41.7 percent from 3-point range over the last three games, including two against top-10 teams.

USF series
The Gamecocks won the only previous meeting with the Bulls. The programs met in the 2023 NCAA Tournament’s second round with South Carolina posting a 76-45 victory at Colonial Life Arena. USF led after the first 10 minutes before the Gamecocks put on a defensive clinic, including just 16 points in the second half. Five current Gamecocks played in that game, led by Bree Hall’s seven points and six rebounds.

Ranking review
South Carolina is ranked No. 3 in both the AP Poll and No. 4 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches’ Poll this week.

It marks the Gamecocks’ 102nd consecutive entry in the AP top 10, beginning with the 2019-20 preseason poll. That’s the longest active streak and the 11th-longest in this poll’s history (10th is 107, Duke). Their 233 straight appearances in the AP Poll, dating back to Dec. 10, 2012, marks the second-longest active streak in the nation and the ninth-longest all-time (8th, Notre Dame, 234).

In the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll, South Carolina has been in the top 10 since claiming the No. 10 in the 2019-20 preseason poll.

Quarterly breakdown
South Carolina’s defense has held an opponent to single digits in a quarter eight times this season, including five against ranked teams. The Gamecocks have outscored their opponent by 10 or more points in a quarter 13 times. The scoring difference is greatest in the second quarter (+9.0).

Individually, two Gamecocks have scored in double figures in a single quarter – Tessa Johnson (1) and Chloe Kitts (1). The best individual score in a quarter this season is 10 points, which has happened twice – Chloe Kitts in the 1st quarter vs. Coppin State (11/14), Tessa Johnson in 3rd quarter vs. Purdue (11/30).

Bench Mob
Head coach Dawn Staley’s 13-player roster gives her the ability to make a complete line change with little drop in production.

This season, the Gamecock bench leads the nation with 40.5 points per game. match, accounting for 50.2 percent of the total attack. South Carolina’s bench has outscored opponents’ benches by 26.1 points per game. match and has outscored the opponent’s starting line-up six times.

On the glass, the bench is averaging 18.1 rebounds per game. game (45.7 percent of the team total) compared to just 8.5 for the opponents’ bench.