Women's Basketball . January 6, 2021

Gamecocks Face Border Rival Georgia Thursday

#5/4 SOUTH CAROLINA (7-1, 2-0 SEC) VS. GEORGIA (9-1, 1-1 SEC)
7 p.m. | COLUMBIA, S.C. | COLONIAL LIFE ARENA (3,500)

ABOUT THIS GAME

The Gamecocks are 15-6 against Georgia in the Dawn Staley era, including wins in the last 12 meetings. At least one of the teams has been ranked in 18 of those 21 meetings.
South Carolina is looking to open the SEC season 3-0 for the third time in as many seasons and the seventh time in the last eight seasons.
The Gamecocks are looking for their 19th straight SEC regular-season victory tonight. Their longest SEC win streak is 24 games – Jan. 3, 2016, through Jan. 26, 2017.

GAMECOCK NOTABLES

South Carolina has been outstanding on the glass this season, especially on the offensive end. The Gamecocks are fourth in the nation in rebounds per game (52.2) and rebounding margin (+18.9) They have out-rebounded three of their last four opponents by at least 24 and have not been out-rebounded this season. South Carolina is also fourth in the country in offensive rebounds per game (19.1), reeling in an SEC-best 46.2 percent of its own missed shots to average 17.2 second-chance points.
The Gamecocks’ starting backcourt of Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson is building a substantial resume this season. Both are explosive scorers and fierce competitors. Cooke is fourth in the SEC with a team-best 18.8 points per game, hitting 2.3 3-pointers per game to rank sixth in the SEC. She does that while adding 3.0 assists per game. Henderson is third on the team with 12.1 points per game, including a pair of 20-point outings. Her 5.5 assists per game are 24th in the country (2nd in the SEC), and her 3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio is 27th in the nation (5th in the SEC). The junior point guard adds 5.9 rebounds per game – she ranks 12th in the SEC with 7.5 rebounds per league game – and is shooting 40.0 percent from 3-point range.
Sophomore forward Aliyah Boston continues to show off her expanding game this season with four double-figure rebound games, six double-figure scoring games and 1.6 blocks per game. She is one of four players in the SEC averaging a double-double on the season and one of two who also rank among the league’s top 10 in blocked shots. She is shooting 35.7 percent from 3-point range (5-of-14) and, in league play, she ranks third in steals per game at 2.5.
Junior forward Victaria Saxton has been especially strong in the last four games, averaging 12.3 points (3rd on the team), 8.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks during the stretch. She has shot 55.3 percent from the field in those games.

BY THE NUMBERS

3 Three Gamecocks rank among the SEC’s top 15 in rebounds per league game – Boston (13.0, 2nd), Saxton (9.0, 6th) and Henderson (7.5, 12th).

3.6 Zia Cooke averages 3.6 assists per game in which she shoots at least 45.0 percent, compared to 2.0 assists per game when she is below that field goal percentage (3 gms).

6 Sophomore guard Brea Beal’s six career double-figure rebound games are second most on the team.

7.0 In the last four games, Destanni Henderson has averaged 7.0 assists to go with her 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

25.3 South Carolina goes to the free throw line 25.3 times per game, which is the fourth-highest number in the country.

74.2 At Alabama, 23 of the Gamecocks’ 31 made field goals (74.2%) came in the paint.