South Carolina women's basketball: Five Things to Watch - Missouri

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1.  Revenge tour

Maybe not “revenge,” but “avenge.”

South Carolina avenged one of its two losses last season by beating Kentucky (the Gamecocks will also get a second chance in a couple of weeks). Now South Carolina gets a chance to knock off Missouri, the team that handed the Gamecocks their other loss.

It’s debatable which loss stung more last season, but the Missouri loss was without question the more shocking result.

As shocking as it was, Dawn Staley said the Gamecocks aren’t looking for revenge.

“I brought up the loss, but I brought it up in a way that we’re not triggered by the loss,” Staley said. “We want to win all our games. It just so happens that we lost to the last year.”

She probably didn’t have to mention it, though. It’s doubtful any of the players have forgotten. 

This leads us to…

2. Slow road starts

Going all the way back to the Stanford game, slow starts on the road have been an issue for South Carolina. Even against Kentucky, when South Carolina couldn’t miss, the Gamecocks turned the ball over, gave up easy baskets, and were in a close game until the fourth quarter. 

It hasn’t been much of an issue at home.  The FAMs both energize the Gamecocks and intimidate visiting teams. Staley conceded that sometimes they struggle to manufacture that same energy to start road games.

She has also been quick to credit the opponents for making things difficult. Staley has also given certain lineups the opportunity to play their way through trouble as a learning experience, a decision that has prolonged some of the slow starts.

“I think this team can win any kind of way,” Staley said. “We can win when we’re down, we can win when we’re up. We can win when we have to get a stop. We’re in the SEC and we’re going to be challenged that way. These opportunities and experiences are only going to make us stronger.”

South Carolina has only played one home SEC game so far, and the Gamecocks dominated Auburn from the start, literally leading for all but one second. That’s not enough of a sample size to determine if the slow starts are unique to road games.

It’s worth noting that in last season’s loss, South Carolina got off to a slow start and allowed the depleted Tigers to gain confidence. It would be nice to take control of the game early this year.

3. Point guard

Finally knocked from the top spot.

South Carolina’s only major question mark entering the season was the point guard position, and that has seemingly been answered. If there is a question about the position now, it might be “How good can Raven Johnson be?”

I’m including “Point guard” today because I want to show that not only am I not the only person who has been extremely impressed by Johnson, but people who know a lot more than me have been impressed. Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes weighed in during the Kentucky game.

I am a fan of @GamecockWBB Raven Johnson!!! My goodness….a true PG! Can do it all. Shoot, defend and drop times. Great court vision👀.

— Sheryl Swoopes (@airswoopes22) January 13, 2023

She meant dropping dimes of course, as she later tweeted. But the point is that Johnson is turning some pretty notable heads. 

4. Still no Sania

Sania Feagin missed the Mississippi State and Kentucky games with a lower right leg injury. Prior to the Kentucky game, Staley said she expected Feagin to be available Sunday. But Feagin has not progressed as well as hoped and she is doubtful for Missouri.

“I don’t think so,” Staley said. “She thought she was going to be able to go, but I don’t think so.”

5. Scouting the Tigers

Missouri is smaller and less athletic than South Carolina. The Tigers don’t rebound or defend as well. But they have an identity and that identity beat South Carolina last season. 

“They are real consistent in how they play,” Staley said. “They are going to pack it in on us on defense. Then they are going to pick us apart when they are on offense. They are going to be real patient and intentional, calculating, about what they want.”

The Tigers will pick and roll youtube death behind Lauren Hansen and Hayley Frank. And if you try to go under the screen, they’ll bury the three. Hansen is third in the SEC in threes made and Frank is sixth. 

Last season, South Carolina stuck with its two-big lineups, rotating Victaria Saxton, Aliyah Boston, and Kamilla Cardoso at the four and five. It gave South Carolina the advantage on offense (Cardoso scored her season-high of 14), but the Gamecocks weren’t quick enough to keep up with the pick and rolls (Missouri got the game-winner by getting by Saxton).

Even without Feagin, South Carolina has more options at forward this season. Ashlyn Watkins has good quickness for her size, and Staley said they are adding forward responsibilities for Chloe Kitts, who has been working at guard. There’s also the option of going small and sliding Brea Beal over to the four. 

The Ws

Who: #1 South Carolina (17-0, 5-0) vs Missouri (14-4, 3-2)

When: 1:00 pm, Sunday, January 15

Where: Colonial Life Arena

Watch: ESPN