Women's Hoops Hosts Jackrabbits Monday Night

No. 1/1 South Carolina women’s basketball continues its four-game home stand Monday night against South Dakota State. Tipoff at Colonial Life Arena is set for 7 p.m. with the game streaming on SEC Network+.

Helping Families in the Midlands
The Gamecocks are hosting food drive for Harvest Hope Food Bank to help families in the Midlands are. Fans can bring canned food items to donate prior to entering the arena.

The South Dakota State Series
The Gamecocks have won both games in this series so far, both played on neutral courts in South Carolina’s Dawn Staley era.

Most recently, the two met in The Invitational in Sioux Falls, where No. 1/1 South Carolina’s defense was stifling in a 62-44 victory on Dec. 15, 2022.

The first meeting between the teams was in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament, during which the No. 17 Gamecocks dominated in a 74-52 victory.

.

By the Numbers

3 – Three Gamecocks are shooting at least 40.0 percent from 3-point range – Paopao (.588), Fulwiley (.467), T. Johnson (.400).

10 – Ten Gamecocks have scored in double figures at least once this season. Three have netted 10+ points in every game.

+11 – South Carolina’s SEC-best 29.67 assists average is more than 11 assists more than the second place teams’ 18.0 average (Mizzou, Vandy).

Gamecock Notables

• South Carolina’s offense continues to shine with the Gamecocks ranking second in the NCAA with 107.7 points per game, trailing just Jackson State. Beyond the points, it’s the efficiency. The team’s.531 field goal percentage is seventh in the country and includes 40.9 percent 3-point shooting (20th in the nation).

• The offensive flow has come from unselfishness as five Gamecocks average double figures and South Carolina leads the nation with 29.7 assists per game. The Gamecocks have assisted on 68.5 percent of their made field goals.

• South Carolina’s glass work as not fallen off, ranking second in the country with 57.7 rebounds per game. The Gamecocks are eighth in the nation with 20.0 offensive rebounds per game.

• Even with the new 3-point barrage – 29th in the nation with 9.0 made per game – South Carolina’s inside game has not waned. The Gamecocks’ 63.3 points in the paint per game account for 58.8 percent of their offense. The team’s sterling field goal percentage includes 63.8 percent accuracy in the paint.

• Senior Kamilla Cardoso has stamped her dominance on the Gamecock’s hot start, averaging a double-double (15.7 ppg/11.7 rpg). She is 17th in the nation on the glass, 24th in field goal percentage (.667) and sixth in blocks per game (3.0)

• Sophomore Ashlyn Watkins’ athleticism and timing have her leading the nation in blocks per game (4.3) and ranking 26th in offensive rebounds (4.7). Her 8.7 total rebounds per game are second on the team and to with 10.7 points per game as well.

• Sophomore Raven Johnson put on a show against Clemson (Nov. 16), handing out 17 assists – the most by any SEC player since 2005 – and did it with just two turnovers. Her 10.7 assists per game leads the nation, and she is 12th with a 6.4 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Three for All
Long the Achilles Heel for the Gamecocks, this season’s South Carolina team has thrived behind the arc so far, shooting 40.9 percent (20th in the nation) to pour in 9.0 made 3s per game (29th in the nation). At home, the average goes up to 11.0.

While the program record for made 3s per game is 9.2 set in 1993-94, the Staley era’s high was 5.8 per game in 2018-19.

Three Gamecocks are shooting at least 40.0 percent from behind the arc, led by Te-Hina Paopao’s SEC-best 58.8 percent accuracy, which ranks 26th in the country. Her 3.33 made 3s per game are also 29th in the nation (2nd in SEC).

MiLaysia Fulwiley is not far behind in accuracy with her 46.7 percent 3-point shooting to ran fifth in the SEC.

South Carolina’s 10 games are the second-most of any ranked team this season (NC State/UCLA 11). The Gamecocks’ five non-conference ranked contests are second behind UConn’s seven and match Tennessee’s five.

Block Party
South Carolina annually ranks among the best shot blocking teams in the country and leads the way again this season at 10.3 blocks per game. The Gamecocks have blocked 20.8 percent of their opponents’ 2-point attempts this season, which ranks third in the nation.

Two of the SEC’s top three shot blockers are Gamecocks with Ashlyn Watkins leading the country with 4.3 blocks per game. Kamilla Cardoso is third in the SEC and sixth in the country with a 3.0 blocks average.

Six different Gamecocks have blocked at least one shot this season, including three by freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley and a pair of blocks from junior guard Bree Hall.

A Dub
Sophomore Ashlyn Watkins’ summer conditioning and court work have her thriving in her second season, posting 10.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and leads the nation with 4.3 blocks per game.

With her athleticism never in question – she became the first Gamecock to dunk in a game last season at Clemson – Watkins is bringing all sides of her game together this season. She has two double-doubles in the first three games and at least four blocks in every game. She is the team’s top offensive rebounder with 4.67 per game, which ranks her third in the SEC and 26th in the nation.

Great Gamecock FAMS
South Carolina fans have led the nation in average attendance in each of the last nine seasons and announced a 16-for-16 campaign to secure 16,000 season tickets to honor Staley’s 16th season in Columbia.

While the season ticket number has not yet hit that mark, attendance at the first two homes games has with the rivalry game against Clemson (Nov. 16) coming in at 16,820 as the most attended regular-season game in the nation this season. Attendance at the home opener against #14/11 Maryland (Nov. 12) ranks second in the nation.

The Gamecocks have had at least one sellout of their 18,000-seat Colonial Life Arena for seven straight seasons (excluding COVID-limited 2020-21 season) dating back to  the first ever sellout of 18,000 on Feb. 8, 2016..

Excluding the COVID limited-attendance season of 2020-21, South Carolina has drawn at least 10,000 fans 112 consecutive regular-season games beginning on Jan. 2, 2015.