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Colonial Life Arena Set for Another Top-10 Matchup
Women's Basketball  . 

Colonial Life Arena Set for Another Top-10 Matchup

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 4/4 South Carolina hosts No. 7/7 UConn on Sun., Feb. 16, at 1 p.m. with ESPN’s College Game Day broadcasting its two-hour pregame show live from the court in Colonial Life Arena.

Fan Information

  • TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Road closures will affect traffic patterns around Colonial Life Arena Sunday. Greene Street will be closed from Park to Lincoln, and Lincoln Street will be closed from Devine to Greene. 
  • Single-game parking in lots immediately around Colonial Life Arena will be $20 per car as mandated by the University.
  • A free fan parking shuttle from Key Road Parking Lot (near Williams-Brice Stadium) is available for this game. Parking and the shuttle are free. The shuttle will run from 10 a.m. until one hour after the game. The arena dropoff/pickup location will be at the corner of Devine and Lincoln Streets.
  • All doors at Colonial Life Arena will open at 10:30 a.m. The Fast Break Pass entrance will open at 10 a.m.
  • The first 10,000 fans will receive a black Uncommon tshirt upon entry.
  • This is the annual Gamecocks Give Back game, partnering with the Veterans Alumni Council to collect animal supplies for Columbia Animal Services. See the Supply List for what you can donate outside the arena!
  • Fans who come early to watch College Game Day’s live broadcast from inside Colonial Life Arena can enjoy discounted concessions with a hotdog and small fountain soda for $3 until noon at Marketplace Stands behind Sections 105 and 115 and Snack Shack location behind Section 111.

Gamecock Notables

  • South Carolina’s NCAA-best 11 games against ranked opponents include four against top-five foes (2-2), three more against the rest of the top 10 (3-0) and four more versus top-20 teams (4-0). Including this game, six of the games will have been in non-conference action, including five of the top-10 outings.

  • Seven Gamecocks average at least 7.2 points per game, including three in double figures. The group effort has South Carolina ranked 12th in the nation in scoring at 81.8 points per game, while its top scorer accounts for just 15.89 percent of the team’s offense, the lowest percentage of any team out-scoring South Carolina on the season.

  • South Carolina’s bench leads the nation with 42.0 points per game to account for 51.9 percent of the Gamecocks’ offense. The group has been outscored by its counterparts just two times this season (at UCLA, vs. Texas). It has tied or outscored its own starting lineup 15 times, including six against ranked teams, and tied or outscored its opponent’s starters 14 times (five ranked foes).

  • Freshman forward Joyce Edwards is 19th in the nation in field goal percentage (.574), including an SEC-best .62.1 percent in SEC action.

  • Veteran point guard Raven Johnson is fourth in the country with a 3.26 assist-to-turnover ratio. She has committed multiple turnovers just five times this season.

  • Player of the Year candidate Te-Hina Paopao has become a more versatile scorer this season after leading the nation in 3-point percentage last season. In her final collegiate season, the guard is getting 46.4 percent of her offense from behind the arc, compared to 64.1 percent last season, and she is shooting a career-best 58.8 percent from inside the arc, more than 12 percent better than her next best mark.

  • Forward Chloe Kitts is coming off her fifth double-digit rebounding game of the season, including three against ranked teams.

  • Over the last four games, MiLaysia Fulwiley has consistently stuffed the box score, averaging 14.0 points, 2.5 assists 3.25 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.75 rebounds.

 

By the Numbers
23.21 – Joyce Edwards’ 23.21 points per 40 minutes against ranked opponents is second-best among the nation’s top freshmen this season.

41.4 – South Carolina’s 41.4 paint points per game ranks third in the nation and includes 36.2 per game against ranked opponents.

58.6 – The Gamecocks have yielded just 58.6 points per game against ranked opponents this season.

 

The UConn Series
The Gamecocks are 5-9 all-time against the Huskies but have won five of the last six meetings, including a four-game win streak. Two of those five wins have come at Colonial Life Arena, including the most recent meeting.

Last season’s 83-65 Gamecock victory (Feb. 11, 2024) came behind dominant second and third quarters. Playing without All-American Kamilla Cardoso, who was with her national team, South Carolina still won the rebound battle (46-37) and the paint effort (34-22). Four Gamecocks finished in double figures, led by Te-Hina Paopao’s 21 points, which included five 3s, and Raven Johnson posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds

 

Freshman Favorite
Dawn Staley has laid down her marker for Joyce Edwards becoming an elite college basketball player in her career, thanks to her tireless work ethic and passion for the knowledge and experience needed to become great. The Gamecocks’ top scorer is already among the best in her class, while logging just 20.7 minutes per game on the Gamecocks’ deep roster. Edwards is second among freshmen in win shares per 40 minutes (0.24) and third in offensive win shares per 40 minutes.

With a team-high 11.8 points per game against ranked opponents coming in just 20.3 minutes per game, Edwards has scored 23.21 points per 40 minutes against ranked foes, which ranks second among the nation’s elite freshmen, trailing only Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes whose usage rate is more than double Edwards’ against the nation’s top teams.

 

All About Balance
Like last season, South Carolina’s greatest asset is its depth with the 2024-25 roster featuring six Gamecocks who averaged at least 18.0 minutes and scored at least 8.1 points per game last season.

This season, 10 Gamecocks have played at least 14.0 minutes per game. Seven average at least 7.0 points, including four who average 9.0 or more. Five players have grabbed at least 4.0 rebounds per game. Eleven Gamecocks have scored in double figures at least once, including five who have done it at least 10 times, and six players have led the team in scoring at least once.

 

Paint Production
South Carolina has long controlled the paint, and this season’s numbers have upheld that standard.

With 51.1 percent of their points coming in the paint, the Gamecocks are third in the nation with 41.4 paint point per game, according to CBBanalytics.com, and are out-scoring opponents in that space by 15.0 points per game. They are shooting 54.8 percent in the paint compared to opponents’ 41.4 percent accuracy in the space.

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