Gamecocks Host NC Central Sunday

Gameday Information
Doors Open: 11 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. for Fast Break Pass

South Carolina Gamecocks (8-1)
Head Coach: Dawn Staley
Top Scorer: Joyce Edwards (18.8)
Top Rebounder: Madina Okot (111.3)

NC Central Eagles (1-7)
Head Coach: Terrence Baxter
Top Scorer: Morgan Callahan (9.5)
Top Rebounder: Morgan Callahan (6.8)

Gamecock Notables

• Over the last five games – which included two Quad 1 opponents and a Quad 2 team – South Carolina averaged 90.6 points with a +27.8 scoring margin.

• The Gamecocks are fourth in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 53.2 percent from the field.

• South Carolina’s 50.4 points in the paint per game are the second-most in the nation and represent 57.1 percent of their total offense. But the Gamecocks can also beat teams from outside, ranking eighth in the nation in 3-point percentage (.393). In their two wins over ranked opponents, 3-pointers accounted for 24.3 percent of the offense compared to 18.1 percent on the season.

• Among the best floor generals in program history, Raven Johnson moved into sixth place in the Gamecocks’ career assists rankings (471). She is also calling her own number with more confidence this season. Her career-best 9.0 points per game includes 10.7 per game against ranked opponents. She is shooting 50.8 percent from the field, including 47.4 percent from 3-point range, while also ranking 11th in the NCAA with 6.8 assists per game and fourth with a 4.1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

• Tessa Johnson’s 20-point outing at #22/21 Louisville this week included four made 3s, which tied her career high. The output moved her to a tie for the team scoring lead against ranked teams with a 15.0 average in those three games.

• Madina Okot leads the NCAA with seven double-doubles this season and is ninth in rebounding average with an SEC-best 11.3 mark. Her current streak of five double-doubles includes three 23-point outings to help her to a 19.0 scoring average on 67.2 percent shooting to go along with 12.0 rebounds per game in that stretch.

• National player of the year candidate Ta’Niya Latson ranks among the SEC’s top scorers and distributors with her 16.2 points (15th) and 3.4 assists (12th) per game. Between the two, she has her hands on 27.4 percent of the Gamecocks’ offense this season (24.2 ppg). Latson’s 52.5 percent field goal shooting (13th in SEC) and her 44.4 percent accuracy from 3-point range are both career highs as are her 1.07 points per play and 1.23 points per scoring attempt (per Her Hoop Stats).

By the Numbers
1.7 – South Carolina’s 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks sixth in the nation.

85 – The Gamecocks’ 85 straight wins over unranked opponents is the longest active streak in the nation, per ESPN.

95.0 – South Carolina has won 95.0 percent of its games with Raven Johnson in the lineup, including a 36-4 mark against ranked teams.

The NC Central Series
South Carolina is 2-0 all-time against NC Central with both wins coming at home in the Dawn Staley era.

The two teams played in back-to-back seasons in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The Gamecocks won the games by an average of 58.0 points.

Quarter Breakdown
South Carolina has been quick out of the gate so far this season, outscoring its opponents by 9.4 points per first quarter and 9.0 in the second. The Gamecocks have been most efficient in the first and fourth quarters, shooting 56.3 and 55.7 percent, respectively. Opponents have been least efficient in the fourth quarter, shooting just 25.2 percent in the final period.

Individually, three Gamecocks have scored double digits in a single quarter a combined five times – Joyce Edwards (2), Tessa Johnson (2), Madina Okot (1).  The top single-quarter individual scoring this season is 12 points by Edwards in the second quarter and Okot in the first quarter with both coming against Winthrop.