South Carolina women's basketball: Inside the box score

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With the 2021-22 season in the books, how did South Carolina women’s basketball stack up statistically?

South Carolina set the school record for wins in a season, with 35. The 37 games played also tied the season record, so everyone who appeared in all games shares the record for games in a season. South Carolina went 14-0 against ranked teams and beat each of the other three number one seeds and each of the other three Final Four teams.

The scoring margin of plus-20.2 is the third-best in school history. South Carolina allowed a program-low 50.7 points per game and blocked 273 shots, second-most in school history. The Gamecocks set new program records with 1,771 total rebounds, a 47.9 per game average, and a rebounding margin of plus-17.7.

Destanni Henderson finished her career 157-414 from three (37.9%). She is eight in career made threes and tenth in career attempts. She finishes fourth in career three-point percentage. In her junior season, she shot 41.4% from three, the eighth-best single-season percentage.  Henderson finished with 423 career assists, ninth on the career list. She is third in career assist-to-turnover ratio (1.61)

Victoria Saxton has 301 offensive rebounds, good enough for ninth on the career list. She also has 171 blocks, the sixth-most on the career list.

Zia Cooke is 11th in career threes made. She has hit 34.0% for her career, which puts her sixth on the career list. 

Kamilla Cardoso became the first Brazilian woman to win the NCAA Championship.

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Aliyah Boston

Boston’s scoring average of 16.8 points per game is the fourth-highest during Dawn Staley’s South Carolina tenure. She made 131 free throws and shot 77.1% from the line, the tenth-best single-season mark in both categories.

Aliyah Boston set the school record for rebounds in a season, finishing with 462 rebounds. Her per-game average of 12.5 rebounds is third all-time. Boston has 1129 career rebounds, which is fourth on the career list. She is 101 behind Alaina Coates for second, and 298 behind Sheila Foster for the career lead. Her career rebounding average of 11.2 is tied for second. Statistics for offensive and defensive rebounds have only been kept since the 1987-88 season, but Boston is third in both categories.

Boston set the school record with 30 double-doubles this season, which was also tied for fourth-most in a single season in NCAA history. Her streak of 27 consecutive double-doubles set the school and SEC record and was the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history. Boston doubled her career double-double total and now has 60. He is just 12 away from Sheila Foster’s school record, and three away from entering the NCAA’s career top-thirty.

Boston blocked 90 shots this season, a new career-high, and tied for third-most in a season in school history. Boston’s average of 2.4 was actually a career-low, but still sixth. She has 257 career blocks, second only to A’ja Wilson’s 363. Boston’s career blocks average is 2.54, trailing Wilson’s 2.63.

Boston has started 101 consecutive games, every game of her career. She needs two more to match Tiffany Mitchell’s school record. Mitchell also holds the career record for games started with 135.

Boston made 32-44 free throws in the NCAA Tournament. She had more free throws made than any other player had free throws attempted. Her 1,460 career points are 11th in program history. 

NCAA Tournament

South Carolina set a school record for the fewest points in an NCAA Tournament game with 49 against Miami. The 58-point win over Howard set a new record for margin of victory along with field goal attempts (79). South Carolina’s 69 total rebounds and 30 offensive and 39 defensive rebounds against Howard was also a tournament record. 

Boston had 91 total rebounds in the tournament, shattering her record (54) set last season. She is eight rebounds from the record for career rebounds. Boston set a new school record for rebounds in a game with her 22 rebounds against North Carolina.

South Carolina’s 49-24 rebounding advantage in the championship game was not a record, but it was close. The record for fewest rebounds is 22 (also by UConn) and the record for rebounding margin is 27 (by Old Dominion in 1985).

In six tournament games, South Carolina averaged 68.8 points per game. But the Gamecocks led all teams by allowing just 45.5 points and a scoring margin of 23.3, over four points better than any other team. South Carolina led all teams with a 20.3 rebounding margin and was fourth in offensive rebounds per game. Boston had the top two rebounding games by an individual.  South Carolina committed the fewest fouls in the tournament, averaging just 10.8 per game. The Gamecocks allowed 34.8% shooting in the tournament.

South Carolina is now 2-0 in national championship games and won both games by double figures. Overall the Gamecocks are 4-2 in Final Four games.

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