Women's Hoops Back in Action Sunday

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 25/- South Carolina women’s basketball is back on the road for a 3 p.m. tipoff at Purdue on Sun., Dec. 16. The Gamecocks’ final road game of 2018 will air on ESPN2.

SOUTH CAROLINA NOTABLES
• The Gamecocks have played one of the toughest early schedules in the country – arguably the toughest as the only team in the country to have faced three top-10 opponents in the first 30 days of the 2018-19 campaign. Only five of the other AP Top 25 teams have faced two top-10 foes. Of this week’s top 25, only Baylor (4), Notre Dame (3), Syracuse (4) and DePaul (3) have faced as many ranked opponents as South Carolina. 

• Today’s game marks just the second day game of the season for the Gamecocks and only the second true road game of the 2018-19 campaign. The last day and road game for South Carolina was a 3 p.m. tipoff at Alabama State in the season opener (Nov. 11). All five of the Gamecocks’ home games have tipped off at 5:30 or later, including both Sunday contests. Going forward, the Gamecocks have just five games scheduled to tip before 5 p.m.

• The Gamecocks’ renewed focus rebounding fundamentals and effort have yielded a +6.6 rebounding margin over the last five games, which includes two against top-10 opponents. Only #4/5 Baylor out-rebounded the Gamecocks in that time and only by three compared to its +21.3 margin going into that game. South Carolina’s effort has been by committee as four different Gamecocks led the team in rebounding over those five games.

• Senior forward Alexis Jennings has scored in double figures in four of the last five games – missing the fifth by a single point – as she comes into full health. She has been on a tear since a 12-point, 14-rebound effort against #9/8 Oregon State (Nov. 23). In four games since then, Jennings has shot 60.0 percent from the field (18-of-30) to lift her scoring average on the season to 9.1 and her field goal percentage to .534. She posted her second career perfect shooting game at Colonial Life Arena, hitting 5-of-5 from the field against Appalachian State (Dec. 5).

BY THE NUMBERS
2 Blocks needed by Mikiah Herbert Harrigan to become 12th Gamecock all-time to reach 100 in her career

4 Different starting lineups the Gamecocks have used so far this season

4 Games in which South Carolina has assisted on at least 60.0 percent of its field goals

7 Different Gamecocks who have led the team in rebounding at least once this season

46.3 Percent of her 81 career games in which Tyasha Harris has handed out at least five assists (38), including six of 10 ore more

PURDUE SERIES NOTES
The Gamecocks and Boilermakers have met just three times before today with Purdue holding a 2-1 edge in the series. That one South Carolina win, however, was arguably the beginning of the march toward the 2017 National Championship.

In 2012, the Gamecocks were in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003, earning the bid after finishing fourth in the SEC (10-6) and advancing to the SEC Tournament semifinals to post a 23-9 record. South Carolina, which had a senior-laden lineup but just two Gamecocks averaging double-figure points, dispatched Eastern Washington in the first round to face then-No. 13 Purdue on its home court. 

With the 72-61 win, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley was set to coach in her first NCAA Sweet 16 game. Three seasons later, that 2011-12 freshman class of Aleighsa Welch, Elem Ibiam and Tina Roy helped the Gamecocks to their first ever Final Four in 2015, setting the stage for that season’s freshman class to deliver the 2017 National Championship two seasons later.

ROAD READY
The Gamecocks are 250-254 all-time in true road games, including a 75-40 (.652) mark under head coach Dawn Staley. In SEC action, Staley is 50-29 (.641) through her 10 seasons at South Carolina.

MILESTONE MARCH
A couple of juniors are marching up the South Carolina and SEC career standings this season.

Guard Tyasha Harris has 370 career assists and needs just 16 more to move into the Gamecocks’ all-time top 10 in the category as Nikki Miars (1996-99) currently holds the spot with 386. 

Forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan has been a steady shot blocker for the Gamecocks with 98 in her career, which ranks her fourth among active SEC players. With two more blocks she will become just the 13th Gamecock all-time to swat away 100 shots in her career. She is 16 away from moving into the program’s all-time top 10 as Iva Sliskovic (2004-07) currently holds the spot with 114.