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

South Carolina faces Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament semifinals. Find out how to watch and what to watch for.

1. Dee-fense
For most of the game against Vanderbilt, South Carolina’s defense was outstanding. Like, 2022 South Carolina good. There was a lull in the second half that allowed Vanderbilt back in the game, but South Carolina responded by holding Vanderbilt scoreless for the final 4:22.

Vanderbilt shot just 37.1% and 33.3% from three. Mikayla Blakes (20) and Khamil Pierre (17) got their points, but South Carolina made sure they weren’t efficient. Blakes shot just 5-15, and Pierre was 8-20. 

South Carolina’s goal was to make it hard for her to even get the ball back after she gave it up. It was a team effort on Blakes, but Bree Hall and Tessa Johnson did most of the work. 

After the game, I talked to both about the defensive effort, and they both wanted to know Blakes’ shooting percentage. They were pleased with

“We did our job,” Johnson said.

“It was important to just make her as inefficient as possible,” Hall said. 

South Carolina faces another talented inside-out duo in the semifinal against Oklahoma and needs the same effort.

2. Also Joyce and Sania
Chloe Kitts deservedly got most of the attention after the game Friday, but Sania Feagin and Joyce Edwards also had big games.

Feagin finished with 13 points (on 6-8 shooting), nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Edwards, in her first college postseason game, had 12 points, four rebounds, and two steals.

Feagin scored a lot of her points by crashing the glass for offensive rebounds. Edwards scored a lot off of plays set up for her. When the Gamecocks needed a basket, they went to Kitts in the fourth quarter, but earlier in the game, it was Edwards who was scoring the go-to buckets.

Be in the know about all things Gamecocks for just $1 for 7 days—lock in this special offer!

3. R&R
For a while, it looked like South Carolina would get to rest its key players in the fourth quarter. That didn’t happen, but South Carolina still didn’t have any play over 29 minutes.

Oklahoma is playing its third game in three days. Jennie Baranczyk was able to get solid production from her bench on Friday, and only Peyton Verhulst (33 minutes) played over 26 minutes. It was similar on Thursday against Georgia, when Verhulst (26 minutes) was the only player over 21 minutes.

Still, it’s three games in three days. Raegan Beers isn’t worried about how much gas is lef tin the tank.

“Enough to come back and play tomorrow,” she said. “I mean, we’ve got to come back. Obviously recovery is going to be important. We’ll prioritize that tonight like we did yesterday. There’s cold tubs in the locker room that they set up for us so we’ll be using those.”

4. Availability report
Ashlyn Watkins is Out for the Gamecocks. Sakima Walker was Out on Friday.

Oklahoma did not list anyone on its availability report Friday.

5. Scouting the Sooners
South Carolina destroyed Oklahoma 101-60 back on January 19 in Columbia. South Carolina forced 22 turnovers and turned them into 32 points, had 26 assists and 48%, and outrebounded the Sooners.

Beers scored 23 points, but she got about half of them in the fourth quarter, long after the game was over. South Carolina limited Payton Verhulst to just three points on 1-6 shooting, with three assists and two turnovers.

Joyce Edwards led South Carolina with 17 points, but it was a total team effort. Eight Gamecocks scored at least seven points, and six had at least four rebounds.

That game was a perfect storm. South Carolina played one of its most complete games, and Oklahoma played a bad game. 41 points is a lot to make up, but Oklahoma comes in feeling good.

The Sooners have assisted on a remarkable 46 of their 51 baskets in the SEC tournament. They beat Alabama to end the regular season, blew out Georgia in the second round, and then beat Kentucky on Friday. The ranked wins are two of the Sooners’ best wins of the season. 

Beers is averaging 21.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in the tournament while shooting just under 60%. 

The Ws
Who: #1 South Carolina (28-3, 15-1) vs #5 Oklahoma (25-6, 11-5)
When: 4:30 ET, Saturday, March 8
Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
Watch: ESPN2

Discuss South Carolina women’s basketball on The Insiders Forum!