Nov. 5, 2016
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COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley prepares to open her ninth season as her Gamecocks will host Benedict for an exhibition game at Colonial Life Arena on Sun., Nov. 6, at 1:30 p.m. to open a women’s/men’s basketball doubleheader.
Rankings Review
South Carolina comes into this season ranked as high as No. 2 and as low as No. 7 in the various preseason polls. The two season-long polls — Associated Press and USA Today Coaches — have the Gamecocks at No. 4 and No. 3, respectively. The AP’s top-five ranking keep South Carolina as one of two programs in the nation to hold a ranking that high every week since the start of the 2014-15 season.
Scheduling Conflict
The Gamecocks have a tough schedule ahead this season, facing 12 games against teams ranked in either the AP or USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll. Eight of those games are on the road, including a neutral-site contest against No. 5/8 Louisville. Three of the 12 games — at No. 7/6 Ohio State, vs. No. 5/8 Louisville, at No. 8/6 Texas — come in the first month of the season.
Staley Staying Power
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley enters her ninth season at the helm after guiding the Gamecocks into the postseason six times. That string includes five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, which is the longest consecutive streak in program history. Those five outings include three Sweet 16s and a Final Four berth.
Alai-ja Awaits
Over the past two seasons, opponents may be inclined to think of the paint as the Gamecock-owned continent of Alai-ja as senior center Alaina Coates and junior forward A’ja Wilson have firmly planted the flag in the lane on both ends of the court. The duo makes South Carolina one of three teams in the nation to return multiple Associated Press All-Americans in 2016-17 as Wilson captured a spot on the first team and Coates picked up honorable mention honors. Wilson grabbed 32 of a possible 33 votes for the AP’s Preseason All-America First Team this season, the organization announced last week. ESPN tabbed her the top player in the nation this season as well. Coates has picked up several preseason All-America honors this season and was named the No. 9 player in the nation by ESPN.
Four x 1,000
South Carolina boasts four 1,000-point scorers on this season’s roster, led by Alaina Coates (1,241) and A’ja Wilson (1,016). Junior transfers Kaela Davis (1,246 at Georgia Tech) and Allisha Gray (1,053 at North Carolina). All four have been first-team all-conference selections in their respective leagues as well.
New Faces
Five new Gamecocks join the fold this season with the four freshmen ready to take the court right away. Junior forward Alexis Jennings will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules. Guard Tyasha Harris (Noblesville, Ind.) headlines the freshman class, coming off a summer spent helping the U.S. to its seventh-straight gold medal in the FIBA U18 Americas Championship. Araion Bradshaw (Hyde Park, Mass.) and Victoria Patrick (Orlando, Fla.) join her in the guard spot. Bradshaw is point guard with good court vision, and Patrick comes in as a scorer to help stretch the floor. Forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan rounds out the class, bringing athleticism, speed and perimeter shooting to the team.
