Jan. 18, 2014
Game Information
Opponent: Alabama (8-9, 1-3 SEC)
Date: Sunday, January 19, 2014, 3 p.m.
Site: Columbia, S.C.
Arena:Colonial Life Arena (18,000)
Tickets: $7 adult, $4 youth (17 and under)
TV: None
Radio: WISW 1320 AM (Brad Muller)
Live Video: GamecocksOnline.com
Live Stats:
Series History: SC leads 18-15
South Carolina Notables
- The Gamecocks are kicking off the SEC’s “We Back Pat” week today, wearing special shooting shirts and using various in-game elements to promote and support the Pat Summitt Foundation and its work to find a cure for Alzheimer’s.
- South Carolina is 16-2 overall and 4-1 in SEC play for just the second time in school history, matching the start of the 2001-02 team.
- SEC offenses are clearly guard dominated this season with just 23 of the league’s top-30 scorers coming from that position. The Gamecocks have the league’s most productive frontcourt as the only team with multiple non-guard entries on the list in junior forward Aleighsa Welch (13.9 ppg, 13th) and freshman center Alaina Coates (12.1 ppg, 23rd).
- Between her scoring and assists, sophomore guard Tiffany Mitchell has had a hand in 30.7 percent of the team’s scoring this season – 15.8 ppg scoring, 7.1 ppg scored on her assists.
- Center Alaina Coates was named SEC Freshman of the Week for the second-straight week and the third time overall this season. She is the only freshman to rank among the league’s top 20 rebounders and top 25 scorers. Coates is averaging 13.4 points and 10.0 rebounds in SEC play, ranking 18th and second, respectively, and joining Kentucky’s Samarie Walker as the only players to average a double-double in league games.
Notes
A South Carolina Win Would…
- Be the Gamecocks’ eighth straight over Alabama.
- Make the Gamecocks 5-1 in SEC play for the second time in program history (2001-02)
By the Numbers
2 Players in the SEC averaging a double-double in league play – Kentucky’s Samarie Walker (11.0 ppg/11.3 rpg) and South Carolina’s Alaina Coates (13.4 ppg/10.0 rpg)
2 Gamecocks who rank among the league’s top three in field goal percentage in SEC play – Alaina Coates (2nd) and Tiffany Mitchell (3rd)
3 Gamecocks who rank among the league’s top 20 scorers in SEC play – Tiffany Mitchell (5th), Alaina Coates (18th) and Aleighsa Welch (19th)
4 Gamecocks who rank among the league’s top 20 rebounders in SEC play – Alaina Coates (T-2nd), Aleighsa Welch (T-4th), Tiffany Mitchell (T-15th) and Elem Ibiam (T-18th)
5 Points scored by sophomore guard Tiffany Mitchell in the final 20 seconds at Texas A&M (Jan. 16) to tie game and send it to overtime
6 Blocks needed by Alaina Coates to tie the school record for blocks in a season by a freshman (42 by Lakesha Tolliver in 2004-05)
7 Blocks needed by junior center Elem Ibiam to move into the program’s top 10 in career blocked shots, sharing ninth place with Melanie Johnson (2004-07) and Teresa Geter (2000<-02) with=”” 99.=”” ibiam=”” is=”” currently=”” tied=”” for=”” ninth=”” in=”” single-season=”” blocks=”” at=””>-02)>
8 Individual 20-point games this season by the Gamecock – four by Alaina Coates (CSU, at SDSU, SC State, Vandy), two by Tiffany Mitchell (at USC, Winthrop) and two by Aleighsa Welch (vs. UNC, at Texas A&M)
10 Games this season in which South Carolina has scored at least 50.0 percent of its points in the paint, including three of at least 60.0 percent of scoring coming from the paint (Chas. Sthrn., 70.7%; at USC, 60.0%; UK, 61.8%)
Alabama Series Notes
The Gamecocks lead the series 18-15 and are in the midst of an eight-game win streak against the Crimson Tide. South Carolina is 9-5 against Alabama in Columbia, having not lost a game on its home court against the Crimson Tide since Feb. 17, 2000. South Carolina won both games last season, topping the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa 65-53 and posting a 77-35 victory over Alabama in the second round of the SEC Tournament in Duluth, Ga. The inside game was the difference in both games with a pair of Gamecocks recording double-doubles in the regular-season game on Feb. 7, accounting for 31 of the team’s 65 points in the game. In the SEC Tournament, center Elem Ibiam came off the bench to score a career-high 19 points and added nine rebounds in just 26 minutes.
Home Sweet Home
With comprehensive records beginning in the 1976-77 season (the third for women’s basketball at South Carolina), the Gamecocks are 372-155 (.706) all-time in games played at home, including a 127-58 mark (.686) in Colonial Life Arena. In the sixth season with head coach Dawn Staley at the helm, South Carolina is 62-25 (.713) at home, including one game at Carolina Coliseum in the 2012-13 season. The Gamecocks have won 48 of their last 59 games played in Colonial Life Arena.
