The Top 2 teams in preseason SEC voting square off today in Columbia in the 1st of 2 games between them. The Gamecocks (14-1, 3-0) were picked to win the conference with the Longhorns (15-1, 3-0) finishing 2nd.
Battle of the Benches
South Carolina leads the nation in bench scoring (43.4 ppg - 52.3% of their scoring) and Texas is 2nd (38.1, 42.1%). SC relies on contributions from their entire team as they average 82.9 points per game with their highest scorer, freshman F Joyce Edwards, sitting at 11.3 ppg.
Athletic AF
This will be one of the few games this season where the most athletic team overall will be the Longhorns' opponent. That took a bit of a hit when 6' 3" F Ashlyn Watkins was lost for the season last Sunday with an ACL tear. Arguably the most gifted athlete in WBB, she was averaging 7.2 ppg and 6.1 rebounds (2nd on the team). Despite the loss, Dawn Staley's team is very long, fast and aggressive on the defensive end.
Elite G Matchup
Senior Te-Hina Paopao (3-pt: 29/72, 40.3%) is in her 2nd season with the Gamecocks after transferring from Oregon. She doesn't have the athletic profile of her teammates but she is a dead-eye shooter from beyond the arc. This season has actually been of a bit of a letdown compared to last (87/186, 46.8%). I'll be surprised if Rori isn't her primary defender tasked with doing what she does - take players out of their rhythm and force them into questionable decisions passing and shooting. This game might also feature the 2 fastest players in NCAA WBB with the ball in their hands: sophomore G MiLaysia Fulwiley and Texas freshman PG Bryanna Preston.
Paint Depth
Taylor and Kyla have to avoid foul trouble. South Carolina has 3 players 6' 4" or taller though they don't usually play a lot of minutes and 2 starters at 6' 3". Staley has a lot of fouls down low that Vic just doesn't.
This is going to be a tough mountain to climb - on the road against a team and coach that Vic hasn't had great success against. If Madison is on her game and the Longhorns keep from giving up too many fast break and over the press points, it could come down to the wire.
Dawn Staley quotes about Texas last week:
"Vic is a coach of habit. I think he'll be the same old same old, in a good way. They're going to press, they're going to make it hard for you to inbound the ball, they're going to pressure defense you and he's going to find offensively who should shoot the ball. He's got bigs, he has shooters, a point guard ... he's got all the keys to winning the national championship."
"He's very similar to what he was at Mississippi State, he's probably got a more talented roster so he's got a lot more to work with,"
"Thankfully they are in our league because you can continue to measure yourself where you are as far as nationally and how close you are to winning the national championship. It's a good barometer for us."
@mln59 @thar0902 @wb3032 @icdb17 @BrownHorn
Battle of the Benches
South Carolina leads the nation in bench scoring (43.4 ppg - 52.3% of their scoring) and Texas is 2nd (38.1, 42.1%). SC relies on contributions from their entire team as they average 82.9 points per game with their highest scorer, freshman F Joyce Edwards, sitting at 11.3 ppg.
Athletic AF
This will be one of the few games this season where the most athletic team overall will be the Longhorns' opponent. That took a bit of a hit when 6' 3" F Ashlyn Watkins was lost for the season last Sunday with an ACL tear. Arguably the most gifted athlete in WBB, she was averaging 7.2 ppg and 6.1 rebounds (2nd on the team). Despite the loss, Dawn Staley's team is very long, fast and aggressive on the defensive end.
Elite G Matchup
Senior Te-Hina Paopao (3-pt: 29/72, 40.3%) is in her 2nd season with the Gamecocks after transferring from Oregon. She doesn't have the athletic profile of her teammates but she is a dead-eye shooter from beyond the arc. This season has actually been of a bit of a letdown compared to last (87/186, 46.8%). I'll be surprised if Rori isn't her primary defender tasked with doing what she does - take players out of their rhythm and force them into questionable decisions passing and shooting. This game might also feature the 2 fastest players in NCAA WBB with the ball in their hands: sophomore G MiLaysia Fulwiley and Texas freshman PG Bryanna Preston.
Paint Depth
Taylor and Kyla have to avoid foul trouble. South Carolina has 3 players 6' 4" or taller though they don't usually play a lot of minutes and 2 starters at 6' 3". Staley has a lot of fouls down low that Vic just doesn't.
This is going to be a tough mountain to climb - on the road against a team and coach that Vic hasn't had great success against. If Madison is on her game and the Longhorns keep from giving up too many fast break and over the press points, it could come down to the wire.
Dawn Staley quotes about Texas last week:
"Vic is a coach of habit. I think he'll be the same old same old, in a good way. They're going to press, they're going to make it hard for you to inbound the ball, they're going to pressure defense you and he's going to find offensively who should shoot the ball. He's got bigs, he has shooters, a point guard ... he's got all the keys to winning the national championship."
"He's very similar to what he was at Mississippi State, he's probably got a more talented roster so he's got a lot more to work with,"
"Thankfully they are in our league because you can continue to measure yourself where you are as far as nationally and how close you are to winning the national championship. It's a good barometer for us."
@mln59 @thar0902 @wb3032 @icdb17 @BrownHorn
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