Gamecocks vs. Hurricanes in NCAA 2nd Round Sunday

NCAA TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND
#1/1 SOUTH CAROLINA (30-2, 15-1 SEC) VS MIAMI (FL)  (21-12, 10-8 ACC)
MARCH 20, 2022 |  3 PM ET |  COLUMBIA, S.C.  |  COLONIAL LIFE ARENA

FAN INFORMATION
Check out our NCAA Tournament Columbia website for all you need to know – parking, clear bag policy, etc. – about attending games at Colonial Life Arena.

GAMECOCK NOTABLES

• South Carolina’s calling card all season has been its defense, leading the country in field goal percentage defense (.324) and third in scoring defense (50.8). The Gamecocks stamped that authority on the NCAA Tournament early, setting first/second-round records for points allowed in a game (21) and in a half (4) and field goals allowed in a game (8, tied).
• The Gamecocks’ paint dominance spans both ends of the court. South Carolina is out-scoring opponents in the paint by 15.2 points per game (38.1-22.9). The Gamecocks are allowing opponents to shoot just 38.7 percent shooting within six feet of the basket, thanks in large part to the NCAA-best 7.7 blocks per game.
• Another area of paint dominance is South Carolina’s offensive rebounding and second-chance points. The Gamecocks are third in the NCAA with 17.1 offensive rebounds per game, led by Aliyah Boston’s 3.8 average, which ranks 22nd in the country. South Carolina has turned those 17.1 offensive boards into 16.4 second-chance points per game.
• The Gamecock offense has found better ball movement of late, averaging 16.8 assists per game over the last five outings. That’s an assists on 67.2 percent of made field goals over that stretch.
• With her 25th-consecutive double-double coming against Howard (Mar. 18), Aliyah Boston became just the third woman in NCAA history with a single-season streak at least that long. She joins Cal’s Kristine Anigwe (32 in 2018-19) and Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (33 in 2006-07, 31 in 2007-08, 28 in 2005-06).
• Junior Brea Beal continues to be a key to the Gamecock defense, as she has throughout her career. Over the last five games, the 6-foot-1, powerful guard has held her primary guard 4.6 points below her average. Beal has also been lifting her offensive output in that stretch, netting 6.8 points per game.

BY THE NUMBERS

5 – South Carolina has won 30+ games in five of the last eight seasons.

18.0 – The Gamecocks’ five starters averaged just 18.0 minutes against Howard.

NOTES

The Miami Series
The Gamecocks lead the all-time series 2-0, although the two teams have not met since Nov. 28, 1993. This marks the first meeting between the two in Columbia and the first postseason meeting.

Gamecocks’ Tournament Summary
South Carolina opened the 2022 NCAA Tournament in historic fashion with a 79-21 win over Howard in the opening round. The Gamecock defense set NCAA Tournament first/second-round records for points allowed in a first half (4), points allowed in a game (21) and tied the record for field goals allowed in a game (8). South Carolina also tied the record for rebounds in a game (69) and was second in rebounding margin (+41).

The defense and rebounding effort also hit the Gamecock record books:

• 4 first-half points allowed – program record
• 21 points allowed – tied program record
• 58-point victory – program NCAA Tourn. record
• 79 FG attempts – program NCAA Tourn. record
• 30 offensive rebs. – program NCAA Tourn. record
• 38 defensive rebs. – program NCAA Tourn. record

Staley sent 14 Gamecocks to the court in the game with the bench out-scoring the starters 43-26. Three reserves set new season highs in at least one category.

Schedule Strength
South Carolina’s 11 games against nationally ranked teams, eight of which were in the AP top 15 at the time of the game, are the second most in the country (Indiana, Texas and Virginia Tech, 12). Wins in all 11 of those games have the Gamecocks atop the NET rankings and are the most during the regular-season schedule in program history. The overall program record for ranked wins is 13, originally set in 2015-16 and tied in 2019-20.

The Gamecocks’ non-conference schedule is rated second-toughest in the country, helping the team to 18 wins against NET top-50 opponents, the most of any team this season.

National Acknowledgment
Three Gamecocks have picked up national recognition for their efforts this season. Aliyah Boston leads the trio with National Player of the Year honors from The Athletic and First-Team All-America status from the AP and the USBWA.

Destanni Henderson picked up her first All-America recognition, earning a spot on the USBWA third team and honorable mention status from the AP.

Zia Cooke joined Henderson with AP honorable mention selection.

Block Party
South Carolina annually ranks among the best shot blocking teams in the country and leads the way this season at 7.7 blocks per game after finishing the 2020-21 season second at 7.0.

Aliyah Boston’s 2.66 blocks per game lead the way at 10th in the nation and second in the SEC. Sophomore Kamilla Cardoso – the leading shot blocker in the ACC last season – is eighth in the SEC at 1.2.