Women's Basketball . March 27, 2021

Gamecocks in Sweet 16 Sunday vs. Georgia Tech

NCAA TOURNAMENT SWEET 16 (HEMISFAIR REGION)
#6/5 SOUTH CAROLINA (24-4) VS. GEORGIA TECH (17-8)
1 P.M. (ET) | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS | ALAMODOME

GAMECOCK NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Appearances: 17 (1982, 1986, 1988, 1989,1990, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021)
Overall Record (Staley Era): 32-15 (24-7)
Sweet 16 Appearances: 11 (1982, 1990, 2002, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021)
Elite Eight Appearances: 4 (2002, 2015, 2017, 2018)
Final Four Appearances: 2 (2015, 2017)
National Championships: 1 (2017)
Italics indicates during the Dawn Staley era

ABOUT TODAY’S GAME

The Gamecocks and Yellow Jackets have never met in women’s basketball.
South Carolina is playing in its 11th NCAA Sweet 16 game in program history, including each of the last seven tournament. The Gamecocks are 4-6 all-time in the NCAA Sweet 16, including a 3-4 mark in the Dawn Staley era, including two wins in the last three such games.

GAMECOCK NOTABLES

Playing the toughest schedule in the country, South Carolina is a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last seven tournaments (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).
Of the 10 active players on South Carolina’s roster, only three have played in an NCAA Sweet 16 game – Destanni Henderson, Victaria Saxton and Elysa Wesolek. The trio played a combined 25 minutes in the 2019 Sweet 16 game against Baylor.
The Gamecocks have been known for their rebounding all season, ranking fourth in the country in rebounds per game (47.9) and not allowing an opponent to out-rebounded them through 28 games. That effort has carried over to the NCAA Tournament, during which South Carolina has a +21.5 rebounding margin.
The only player named a finalist for both the Naismith Trophy and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-American and The Athletic National Player of the Year Aliyah Boston has lifted her game to still another level in the postseason. Through the SEC and NCAA Tournaments, she leads the Gamecocks with 19.4 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, shooting 56.9 percent from the field, including 50.0 percent (4-of-8) from 3-point range.
Junior Victaria Saxton has burst onto the NCAA Tournament scene this season, pouring in 13.5 points per game (2nd on the team) after entering the event at 9.1 ppg. She is shooting 60.0 percent from the field and blocking 2.0 shots per game.
With an injury ending senior LeLe Grissett’s season ahead of the NCAA Tournament, sophomore Laeticia Amihere has spent some time in the small forward spot, which has allowed her to play more freely and post 9.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. The mobile, athletic forward entered the tournament averaging 6.2 points and 5.0 rebounds.
The Gamecock backcourt continues to power the team’s success with the attention in the NCAA Tournament turning to the defensive effort of Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson. The duo combined for 11 steals over the first two games at the event, including four in the defense-driven win over Oregon State. Offensively, the two have contributed 17.5 points per game in the tournament

BY THE NUMBERS

8.5 Sophomore guard Brea Beal is tied for second on the team with 8.5 rebounds per NCAA Tournament game.

21.8 South Carolina averages 21.8 free throw attempts per game this season, ranking fourth in the nation in total free throw attempts.

47.5 The Gamecocks held their first two NCAA Tournament opponents to just 47.5 points per game, including yielding just 42 points to Oregon State, which averaged 72.8.