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Another Top-5 Battle for Women's Hoops Sunday
Women's Basketball  . 

Another Top-5 Battle for Women's Hoops Sunday

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 2/2 South Carolina hosts No. 5/6 Texas in a top-five battle at Colonial Life Arena on Sun., Jan. 12, at 1 p.m. on ESPN.

Fan Information

  • A free fan parking shuttle from Founders Park (431 Williams Street) has been added for this game. Parking and the shuttle from the Lot 1 are free. The shuttle will run from 11:30 a.m. until one hour after the game. The arena dropoff/pickup location will be at the corner of Devine and Lincoln Streets.
  • 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 12 p.m. The Fast Break Pass entrance will open at 11:30 a.m.
  • The first 2,000 fans will receive a four-pack of buttons.
  • Nearly 300 female student-athlete alumnae will be in attendance as the Athletics Department celebrates them and the 50th anniversary of women’s sports at South Carolina, including a halftime parade around the court.

Gamecock Notables

  • While South Carolina and Texas have limited history, head coaches Dawn Staley and Vic Schaefer are no strangers. During Schaefer’s eight seasons at Mississippi State, Staley’s Gamecocks went 12-3 against the Bulldogs.

  • Today’s game pits the nation’s two highest scoring benches against each other. South Carolina leads the nation with 43.4 bench points per game, which is 52.3 percent of its total offense. Texas’ 38.1 bench points per game are second in the nation and make up 42.1 percent of its total scoring.

  • Moreso than any other recent season, the Gamecocks’ success is built on the collective contributions of each player. South Carolina is 17th in the nation with 82.9 points per game, but the highest scoring Gamecock averages just 11.3 points. The team is 13th in the country with 43.6 rebounds per game with its highest rebounder averaging just 7.4.

  • South Carolina’s five games against ranked opponents are tied for the most in the nation (Notre Dame, Southern Cal). Overall, the Gamecocks’ first 16 opponents have a .721 winning percentage, which is second-best in the nation.

  • In their first game without junior forward Ashlyn Watkins, the Gamecock forwards thrived against Texas A&M (Jan. 9), scoring 48 of the team’s 90 points on 67.9 percent shooting. Freshman Joyce Edwards led the effort with 19 points to continue her mid-season surge. Over the last five games, she leads the team with 14.8 points per game on 66.7 percent shooting to go with 5.0 rebounds per game in that stretch.

  • Sophomore guards MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson are the team’s top scorers in SEC action, ranking 17th in the league with 14.3 points per conference game. Both are shooting over 50.0 percent from the field with Johnson hitting 42.9 percent from 3-point range.

  • Junior Chloe Kitts is posting career-best numbers with 9.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

  • National Player of the Year candidate Te-Hina Paopao leads the Gamecocks with 14.0 points per game against ranked teams thanks to her more diverse offensive strategy. In those five games, she averages 5.0 points from 3-point range, 4.4 from the paint and 4.6 from mid-range.

 

By the Numbers
5 – Five Gamecocks average double-figure points in SEC play so far this season.

17.4 – South Carolina averages 17.4 fast break points per game this season.

23.2 – The Gamecocks have scored 23.2 points off turnovers per game against ranked opponents.

 

The Texas Series
The Gamecocks are 2-2 all-time against the Longhorns with both wins coming in the Dawn Staley era.

The teams last met in the 2021 NCAA Elite Eight in San Antonio (Mar. 30) with the Gamecocks advancing with a 62-34 victory. South Carolina traveled to Austin for a game in the 2016 SEC/Big 12 Challenge, escaping with a 76-67 win on Dec. 1, 2016.

 

Serious Scheduling
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has never been afraid to challenge her team to prepare it for the rigors of March and April. This season is no different.

The Gamecocks’ 30-game regular-season schedule includes 13 games against teams in the national rankings this week or at the time of the game, including six against teams in the top 10. Six of the 14 games are against non-conference opponents.

Over the last 10 seasons, South Carolina has played an average of 9.6 regular-season games against ranked foes.

So far, South Carolina is 4-1 against ranked foes – vs #9/8 NC State (W, 71-57; 11/10), at #5/6 UCLA (L, 62-77; 11/24), vs. #15/15 Iowa State (W, 76-36; 11/28), vs #8/9 Duke (W, 81-70, 12/5), vs. #9/13 TCU (W, 85-52, 12/8) – and 5-1 when including its 68-62 over now #25 Michigan.

 

CK Obsession
Forward Chloe Kitts spent the offseason focusing on building her strength as much as her skills. The result has allowed her to fully get to her skill set this season, and the confidence has her playing with authority.

Kitts is averaging 9.5 points per game, including eight double-figure scoring games and three games as the team’s top scorer. Her four double-doubles are a team high and nearly to her sophomore total of six.

In just her fourth semester on campus, Kitts is 11th in the SEC in  rebounds per game. (7.4 per game, compared to 5.9 last season) and 15th in offensive rebounding  (2.73).

 

Sage Seniors
Four-year seniors Sania Feagin and Bree Hall are this year’s most veteran players as the only two on the roster with over 100 games in a Gamecock uniform. Communication has played a role in both players’ longevity and success with their impact showing up in team results beyond their individual box score entries.

Staley lauds Feagin’s on-court communication as the back-line director of the Gamecocks’ defense. Her energy and steady play show the confidence and fitness of the first-year starter with her 7.1 points per game coming on 57.1 percent shooting.

The more experienced of the two, Hall requires little communication from the coaches as she understands what they want and her value to the team. A career built on her defensive effort has also yielded timely big shots in big games. Hall’s 6.6 points per game include a team-best 43.5 percent shooting from 3-point range. In SEC action, that accuracy rises to 50.0 percent (3-of-6).

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