Top-25 Matchup to Open SEC Play for Gamecocks

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South Carolina Gamecocks (13-1)
Head Coach: Dawn Staley
Top Scorer: Joyce Edwards (21.4)
Top Rebounder: Madina Okot (11.2)

Alabama Crimson Tide
Head Coach: Kristy Curry
Top Scorer: Jessica Timmons (15.5)
Top Rebounder: Karly Weathers (6.1)

Gamecock Notables

• South Carolina is 12-5 in SEC openers in the Dawn Staley era, including wins in the last three league debuts.

• Dawn Staley’s 214 SEC regular-season wins are the third-most in league history, trailing just Pat Summitt (Tennessee, 306) and Andy Landers (Georgia, 273). Her nine regular-season titles trail only Summitt’s 16, and her seven SEC Coach of the Year awards trail Summitt’s league record by just one.

• The Gamecocks’ bench ramped up its production in late December, averaging 22.0 points over the last five games (compared to 15.9 ppg prior). The small group accounted for 21.8 percent of the total offense over those five games (compared to 18.0 percent prior) and out-scored the opponent’s bench in four of those outings.

• South Carolina’s .543 field goal percentage ranks second in the nation, including a.482 mark in its six games against NET top-50 opponents.

• All five Gamecock starters average double-figure points against ranked opponents this season with the inside-out duo of Joyce Edwards and Tessa Johnson leading the way at 15.0 points per game each.

• National player of the year candidate Joyce Edwards has been dominant on both sides of the ball, with a team-high eight 20-point outings that have her ranked 11th in the nation with 21.4 points per game. Her 61.9 percent accuracy is 12th in the nation, and her defensive effort has her ranked ninth in the SEC in blocks (1.5) and 13th in steals (2.0).

• The SEC’s top 3-point percentage shooter, Tessa Johnson capped the 2025 calendar year with a career-high five 3s against Providence (Dec. 28), hitting 62.5 percent from long range in that outing. Her 49.2 percent 3-point shooting for the season ranks ninth in the nation, and the junior is ninth in the league in overall field goal percentage (.532), which makes her the only player in the SEC to rank in the top 10 of both field goal percentages.

• Senior Madina Okot is growing more comfortable as the center of attention for the Gamecocks. She is among the country’s best post players, with her SEC-high 10 double-doubles leading the nation, her SEC-best .645 field goal percentage ranking fifth in the nation, and her 11.2 rebounds coming in seventh in the NCAA (2nd in SEC). Her 15.8 points per game come in 16th in the SEC.

By the Numbers
3 – South Carolina’s three Quad 1 wins are the third-most in the nation this season and second-most among SEC teams.

4 – Raven Johnson needs four assists to move into a tie for sixth place in program history in career assists.

5 – South Carolina has had its full 10-player roster available in just five games this season.

The Alabama Series
The Gamecocks lead the all-time series with Alabama 33-15, including a 16-5 mark at home. In the Dawn Staley era (starting 2008-09). South Carolina is 23-0 against the Crimson Tide.

This marks the second time in as many meetings that both teams are ranked. Last season then-No. 2 South Carolina topped then-No. 19 Alabama 76-58 on Jan. 16 in Tuscaloosa. The Gamecocks were strongest in the first and fourth quarters of the game,  jumping out to a 21-12 lead after the opening period behind a defensive effort that allowed just 27.8 percent shooting. Joyce Edwards led the offense with a then-career-high 21 points.

Ranked Readings
Against ranked teams, South Carolina is 134-72 (.650) in the Dawn Staley era (beginning 2008-09), and even that mark is skewed by the early seasons of her tenure. Since the start of the 2014-15 campaign, the Gamecocks are 119-33 (.783) against ranked teams, including a 49-6 (.891) mark since the start of the 2021-22 season.

This season, South Carolina is 2-1 against ranked opponents with all three games happening outside of Columbia – W 69-52 vs. #8/10 Southern Cal (Nov. 15), L 64-66 vs. #4/4 Texas (Nov. 27), W 79-77 at #22/21 Louisville (Dec. 4).

Schedule Sketch
South Carolina’s schedule continues to challenge and prepare the team for the postseason. This year’s slate features 12 games against teams ranked in the current top 25 – five home, five road and two neutral sites. Four of the 10 games are against teams in the top 10.

The non-conference schedule is highlighted by three ranked matchups – vs. #8/10 Southern Cal (W, 69-52), vs. #4/4 Texas (L, 64-66) and at #22/21 Louisville (W, 79-77).

In the NET rankings, South Carolina is ranked second and has 12 Quad 1 games on the schedule, including four non-conference matchups. The Gamecocks lead the SEC in the NET rankings and have the best average opponent NET ranking (42).

Paint Production
South Carolina has long controlled the paint, and this season is no different, even with a guard-dominated roster.

With 57.4 percent of the their points coming in the paint, the Gamecocks are second in the nation with 53.3 paint points per game and are out-scoring opponents in that space by an average of 31.3 points, including a +10.7 edge against ranked opponents. They tied the program record for single-game paint points in back-to-back outings with 74 at USF (Dec. 18) and at FGCU (Dec. 20).

The Gamecocks are shooting 65.9 percent in the paint compared to opponents’ 41.1 percent accuracy.