Women's Hoops Set for SEC Opener at Mizzou

#1/1 SOUTH CAROLINA (12-0) AT  MISSOURI (11-2)
DECEMBER 30, 2021 |  7 P.M. ET | COLUMBIA, MO. | MIZZOU ARENA

GAMECOCK NOTABLES

• Tonight’s game is the fourth time the Gamecocks have faced Missouri while ranked No. 1 in the nation and the third in a row. All three of those games went to South Carolina, including the last two at Mizzou Arena.
• The Gamecocks have won five SEC regular-season championships in the last eight seasons and haven’t finished lower than second in that time. Their most recent title came in a perfect 16-0 campaign in 2019-20, a repeat of their perfect slate in 2015-16.. SEC media and coaches picked South Carolina to claim the 2021-22 title as well.
• South Carolina’s always impressive rebounding numbers are off the charts this season as the Gamecocks lead the nation in rebounding margin at +17.0 That number includes a +12.7 margin in six games against top-15 opponents. It is a focus of the full team as only Aliyah Boston’s 10.2 rpg is among the SEC’s top 20. Kamilla Cardoso and Brea Beal are next in line with 5.4 and 5.3 rebounds, respectively, with Victaria Saxton and Laeticia Amihere also pulling down more than 4.0 boards per game.
• Junior Aliyah Boston has posted five straight double-doubles, including three against top-15 opponents. The National Player of the Year candidate averaged 20.6 points, on 60.8 field goal shooting, 14.4 rebounds and 4.6 blocks during that stretch.
• Senior point guard Destanni Henderson earned USBWA National and SEC Player of the Week honors for her leadership in the Gamecocks’ comeback win over #2/2 Stanford just before the Christmas break. In her first game back after missing three with a left leg injury, the Gamecocks’ floor general took charge in the second half with 13 points, five assists and five steals in the final 20 minutes.
• Senior LeLe Grissett and freshman Saniya Rivers will not travel to Missouri. due to health and safety protocols.

BY THE NUMBERS

13, 10 – Even playing half its games against top-15 teams, South Carolina is 13th in the nation in scoring def. (51.1) and 10th in FG% def. (.330).

21 – Senior forward Victaria Saxton has pulled down 21 offensive rebounds over the last three games, including a career-high eight vs. #2/2 Stanford.

50.4 – The Gamecock defense has held its last five opponents, including three top-15 teams, to 50.4 points per game. against top-15 teams.

NOTES

The Mizzou Series
South Carolina leads the overall series 8-3, including a 7-3 mark since Missouri joined the SEC in the 2012-13 season. All three Tiger victories have come at Mizzou Arena.

The Gamecocks have won the last four meetings with Missouri dating back to the second half of the home-and-home series in the 2017-18 season.

In the most recent meeting, South Carolina rallied from a four-point first-quarter deficit and a halftime tie to claim a 77-62 win on Feb. 11, 2021, at home.  The Gamecocks found their offense in the second half, shooting 66.7 percent in the third quarter and 50.0 percent in the fourth.

Junior Aliyah Boston averages a double-double against Missouri with 10.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Junior Zia Cooke leads the current Gamecock roster with 14.5 points per game against the Tigers.

Road Ready
The Gamecocks are 279-259 all-time in road games, including a 104-45 mark under head coach Dawn Staley.  Her .698 winning percentage on the road is the best in program history.

In SEC road games, Gamecocks are 71-32 (.689) during Staley’s tenure.

Schedule Strength
Having already played six games against teams in this week’s AP or USA Today/WBCA Coaches’ Poll, South Carolina and Stanford are tied for the most ranked games played this season.

South Carolina’s 13 scheduled games against teams in either the AP or USA Today/WBCA Poll this week are the most in the country.

SEC Stories
South Carolina has been a regular contender for SEC regular-season championships since claiming its first one in 2013-14. In the last eight seasons, the Gamecocks have won the league five times – 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020 – and finished second in the other three seasons. They were picked by the league’s coaches to add another title this season.

The Gamecocks are the only program with two 16-0 SEC seasons – 2016, 2020.

After struggling through its first 17 seasons in the powerful league, South Carolina turned a corner with the arrival of Dawn Staley. Under her tutelage, the Gamecocks are 152-54 (.738) in league play with the 152 wins accounting for 70.4 percent of the program’s 216 all-time SEC victories.

Diehard Defenders
Throughout Dawn Staley’s coaching career, defense has been a constant strength, and this season’s team may be her best defensive unit yet.

Yielding just 51.1 points per game, South Carolina is 13th in the nation in scoring defense. Through 12 games, only two teams have scored more than 60 points – #9/9 Oregon (63, Nov. 21) and #2/2 Stanford (61, Dec. 21) – and none have reached 65. Allowing opponents to shoot just 33.0 percent from the field, the Gamecocks are 10th in the nation.

Against ranked opponents, the defense has held its six opponents to 57.2 points per game..