Women's Hoops Wraps Up Home Slate Thursday
#5/6 SOUTH CAROLINA (18-3, 13-1) VS. OLE MISS (9-9, 3-9)
1 P.M. | COLUMBIA, SC. | COLONIAL LIFE ARENA (3,500)
GAME DAY INFO | South Carolina Game Notes | WATCH: SECN+ | LISTEN: 107.5 The Game | Live Stats
ABOUT THIS GAME
- The Gamecocks lead the series with Ole Miss 24-17, including a 14-2 mark in the Dawn Staley era. South Carolina has won the last 12 meetings between the teams.
- In honor of Black History Month, the Gamecocks will honor UofSC Asst. Dir. of the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs Dr. Carl Wells in the first half. In previous games, they have recognized Edith Cook, the first Black player in program history, South Carolina Exec. Assoc. AD/SWA/Chief Diversity Officer Maria Hickman and Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.
GAMECOCK NOTABLES
- South Carolina scores 56.9 percent of its points in the paint this season while allowing opponents just 30.5 in that space. The Gamecock guards account for 24.3 of the team’s 45.0 points in the paint per game.
- The Gamecocks continue to capitalize on their rebounding dominance, scoring 17.6 second-chance points per game on their 17.4 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks third in the country. South Carolina pulls down an SEC-best 44.2 percent of its own missed shots.
- Unanimous AP Preseason All-American Aliyah Boston continues to be recognized among the best players in the country on both sides of the ball. Already on the current watch list for every national player of the year award, she was named a semifinalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year earlier this week. As a freshman last season, she was a finalist for the award as her defensive effort goes beyond ranking 10th in the nation in blocked shots per game (3.0) to her presence affecting a myriad of other shots and to her ability to switch and defend on the perimeter.
- Over the last four games, including two against nationally ranked opponents, Destanni Henderson has poured in 14.8 points per game on 54.5 percent shooting, including 50.0 percent (9-of-18) from 3-point range.
- Sophomore Zia Cooke is the Gamecocks’ leading scorer overall (15.9 ppg, 13th in SEC), in league play (15.5 ppg, 15th in SEC) and against ranked opponents (14.4 ppg). She has a team-high 18 double-figure scoring games, including four 20-point outings – three of which came in SEC games.
- What is cliche can also be true – Aliyah Boston is a walking double-double, and has been since she set foot on campus. Averging a double-double overall (13.3 ppg/11.8 rpg), in SEC play (13.9 ppg/12.4 rpg) and against ranked opponents (13.8 ppg/12.2 rpg), her 11 double-doubles this season are 15th in the nation. Seven of those have come in SEC play, which is tied for third in program history, and with 24 career double-doubles, she is already one shy of the program’s all-time top 10.
- Guard LeLe Grissett enjoyed her first start of the season in honor of Senior Day against #17/17 Kentucky (Feb. 21), scoring in double figures for the fourth time this season while adding six rebounds, including four on the offensive end. She accounted for six of her 13 points during a 9-0 run that opened the second quarter.
- Sophomore forward Laeticia Amihere recorded her first SEC double-double against #17/17 Kentucky with seven of her 13 rebounds coming in the first half and eight of her 12 points coming in the second as the Gamecocks pulled away. Over the last two games, she has shot 7-of-13 (.538) from the field.
BY THE NUMBERS
0 The Gamecocks have not been out-rebounded this season.
3 South Carolina is third in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (17.4).
4 All four of the Gamecocks’ 2021 signees were named to the McDonald’s All-American Game roster yesterday.
10 South Carolina has held its opponent under 60 points in 10 of its 21 games this season, including seven of its 14 SEC foes.
58 With two SEC games remaining, Aliyah Boston has already reset her own school record for offensive rebounds in SEC games with 58.
