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

On3 imageby:Chris Wellbaum02/15/24

ChrisWellbaum

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Kamilla Cardoso celebrates (Photo by Grace Sorrells)

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1. Kamilla está de volta
Kamilla Cardoso rejoins the Gamecocks after missing the last two games to play for Brazil in the Olympic qualifying tournament. Results were mixed for Cardoso. She was named to the five-person all-tournament team, but Brazil lost all three games and failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“She’s doing great. She practiced (Wednesday) and looked good,” Dawn Staley said. She added that Cardoso may not play as many minutes as usual as she eases back in, but there are no restrictions.

Ashlyn Watkins has excelled as a fill-in starter over the last four games, first replacing sick Chloe Kitts and then Cardoso. Watkins averaged 12.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks over the span.

Staley admitted following the UConn win that she has a difficult decision to make regarding who starts. 

“I don’t want to lose Ashlyn and where she is,” Staley said. “When she goes back to that second wave of players you could take a back seat. We’re not going to let her do that. We need her to be who she was (the last four games).”

2. Focus
South Carolina should win on Thursday. But it has trap game written all over it. 

Tennessee always seems to play its best against South Carolina, almost like the Lady Vols can summon their history to be at their back. They have the individual talent to create problems (more on that below).

South Carolina is coming off a huge game against UConn and this matchup doesn’t move the needle in the same way. Staley said after that UConn win that she keeps expecting a down game but it hasn’t happened.

Will South Carolina be focused on Thursday night?

It may not be evident immediately – the Gamecocks have had some slow starts but they usually turn things up with the first substitutions around the media timeout. That’s when MiLaysia Fulwiley and company check in and turn up the heat. 

In 2021 South Carolina went to Tennessee and wasn’t locked in. The result was a loss, so there is precedent.

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3. SEC! SEC!
South Carolina can’t clinch the regular season title for another week, but this may be the most important game left on the schedule. Tennessee practically has to win to give the Lady Vols (or LSU, tied with Tennessee in second place) any hope of catching South Carolina. 

Tennessee also gets South Carolina in the season finale so the Lady Vols could make up two games out of South Carolina’s three-game lead.

If South Carolina wins, it would give the Gamecocks 42 consecutive regular-season SEC wins. That would tie the all-time record, which is held by Tennessee (1991-96).

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4. Top 16 Reveal
Before Thursday night’s game, the tournament selection committee will release the first NCAA Top 16 reveal. 

The reveal is a snapshot of what the seeds would be if the season ended today. It is not a building block for future releases.

There is little drama at the top, where South Carolina should easily take the top seed. However, the next 15 seeds could get interesting.

The reveal will air on ESPN2 beginning at 6:30.

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5. Scouting the Lady Vols
It’s been a disappointing season for Tennessee, who has struggled to find an effective supporting cast for Rickea Jackson. South Carolina has played a lot of teams this season who can say their sum is greater than their parts, but Tennessee is almost the opposite: several players putting up good individual numbers but a team that struggles to score or defend efficiently.

Tamari Key has returned after missing last season with blood clots in her lungs, but she isn’t the same player. Jillian Hollingshead, who seemed poised for a breakout season, hasn’t taken the next step.

Wake Forest transfer Jewel Spear is an explosive scorer who notched 30 points against Ole Miss, but she’s also scored seven or fewer points seven times this season. However, South Carolina has allowed guards like Honesty Scott-Grayson and Leilani Correa to have big nights, so Spear could be dangerous.

But mostly, it all comes back to Jackson. She averages 18.6 points and career-highs of 8.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Tennessee needs a big game from her and she is more than capable. Like Paige Bueckers on Sunday, South Carolina’s focus isn’t on stopping her.

“You just try to limit the production and limit the efficiency,” Staley said. “If we can limit the efficiency we’ll be in a much better place. If she’s able to score on us, use her court vision, use her wingspan defensively, we’re in big trouble.”

The Ws
Who: #1 South Carolina (23-0, 10-0) at Tennessee (15-8, 8-3)
When: 7:00 ET, Thursday, February 15
Where: Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN
Watch: ESPN

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