Women's Hoops at Home Sunday Afternoon

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 3/3 South Carolina opens a three-game homestand that spans the rest of December on Sunday against USF. Tipoff at Colonial Life Arena is set for 2 p.m. with the game airing on SEC Network.

Fan Information

• Single-game parking in lots immediately around Colonial Life Arena will be $20 per car as mandated by the University.
• All doors at Colonial Life Arena will open at 1 p.m. The Fast Break Pass entrance will open at 12:30 p.m.
• Dawn’s Day Care will be open throughout the game in the McGuire Club where parents can join their kids while they enjoy inflatables, bracelet/necklace making, poster creating and other family fun.

Gamecock Notables

• Defense has been the big difference for South Carolina over the last four games, which included three against top-15 opponents. The Gamecocks have held those four foes to 52.3 points per game compared to 57.5 in the season’s first six outings. The more aggressive defense has also yielded for a more aggressive offense with South Carolina scoring 21.0 fast break points per game over the last four games compared to 12.0 in the first six and 28.8 points off turnovers per game 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 those shooting at least 52.0 percent from the field

• South Carolina is atop the NET rankings behind four Quad 1 wins, which leads the nation. The Gamecocks have 15 Quad 1 games on this season’s 30-game schedule, placing 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 have not 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 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 has not had multiple turnovers in a game this season, highlighted by four turnover-free games, including three against ranked opponents. Over the last 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 game lead the team.

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

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

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

The 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 powering to a 76-45 victory in Colonial Life Arena. USF led after the first 10 minutes before the Gamecocks put on a defensive clinic, including yielding 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 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. It is the longest active streak and the 11th longest in the history of that poll (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 place, Notre Dame, 234).

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

Quarter 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 out-scored their opponent by 10 or more points in a quarter 13 times. The scoring differential is largest in the second quarter (+9.0).

Individually, two Gamecocks have scored double digits in a single quarter – Tessa Johnson (1) and Chloe Kitts (1).  The top single-quarter individual scoring this season is 10 points, which has happened twice times – Chloe Kitts in 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 full line change with little decline in production.

This season, the Gamecock bench leads the nation with 40.5 points per game to account for 50.2 percent of the total offense. The South Carolina bench has out-scored its opponents’ bench by 26.1 points per game and has outscored the opponent’s starting lineup six times..

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