South Carolina women's basketball: SEC Preview (Part 2)

South Carolina Women’s Basketball: News • Recruiting • Schedule • Roster • Stats • SEC • Polls • Scholarships

The SEC begins its conference slate Thursday with all 14 teams in action. South Carolina enters the same way it began the season, as the clear favorite. But what have we learned about the other 13 teams?

Alabama

(11-2), AP: RV, NET: 14, Projected finish: 10

Best win: 72-61 at Tulane

Worst loss: None

Overview: Alabama’s two losses were at South Florida, currently 37th in the NET, and a neutral site loss to Utah, currently 6th in the NET. The knock on Alabama is the lack of quality wins. Beating Tulane isn’t grabbing much attention. Brittany Davis was second-team All-SEC last season and picked up where she left off, averaging 17.2 points and 6.8 rebounds while hitting 37.2% from three. As a team, Alabama is shooting just a shade under 40% (39.7%), and the Tide share the ball remarkably well – six players have at least 20 assists already this season. 

Alabama finished last season strong, winning four of the last six in the regular season, and then a pair of games in Nashville followed by a quarterfinal run in the WNIT. The Crimson Tide looks capable of making some noise this season.

Arkansas

(13-2), AP: 24, NET: 38, Projected finish: 4

Best win: 83-75 at #16 Creighton

Worst loss: 66-65 to South Florida

Overview: Arkansas was picked fourth almost by default, but the Razorbacks had an impressive start to the season, making that choice look obvious. Arkansas started out 13-0 with wins over Kansas State and Creighton before dropping a pair of games at the San Diego Invitational. In both losses, to Oregon and South Florida, the Razorbacks had fourth-quarter leads before losing. That is a little concerning, especially failing to make a field goal in overtime against South Florida, although Arkansas was without key reserve Jersey Wolfenbarger in both games. 

Arkansas has hit on all three phases of roster development: recruiting, the transfer portal, and developing players. Last year’s SEC Freshman of the Year Samara Spencer is even better, averaging 16.3 points per game. Transfers Chrissy Carr and Saylor Poffenbarger both start, and Poffenbarger leads the team with 8.4 rebounds per game. And senior Erynn Barnum, who averaged just 6.7 points per game in her first three seasons, is averaging 15.8 this season

Subscribe to Gamecock Central until the 2023 football season for only $10!

Auburn

(10-2), AP: unranked, NET: 64, Projected finish: 13

Best win: 74-73 at Colorado State

Worst loss:57-51 vs Georgia Tech

Overview: Auburn has filled up on snacks with its non-conference schedule, but for a program that won 11, five, and 10 games the last three seasons, a 10-2 record is a step in the right direction.

Aicha Coulibaly and Honesty Scott-Grayson have become a strong one-two punch, each averaging around 16 points per game. Coulibaly missed the last three games with an injury, and it would be a big blow if she misses the start of conference play. 

Florida

(11-2), AP: not ranked, NET: 86, Projected finish: 6

Best win: 76-73 at Miami

Worst loss: None

Overview: Florida’s non-conference schedule probably didn’t match its aspirations for the season. The Gators split with Florid State and Miami and then lost 95-79 to #23 Oklahoma. It would have been reassuring if Florida had played Oklahoma a little closer.

St. John’s transfer Leilani Correa leads the Gators in scoring but has missed three games. After losing Zippy Broughton to a season-ending injury, Florida has turned to West Virginia transfer KK Deans to run things. Deans is averaging 14.5 points and 2.6 assists per game and shooting 43.4% from three.

Become a “FAM” Member and support South Carolina women’s basketball players

Georgia

(11-3), AP: not ranked, NET: 48, Projected finish: 9

Best win: 66-52 at Georgia Tech

Worst loss: 49-45 to West Virginia

Overview: In their first year under Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, the new-look Lady Bulldogs have piled up wins but don’t have a marquee victory. Diamond Battles, who followed Abrahamson-Henderson from UCF, has not disappointed and averages 15.0 points per game. 

Georgia is one of the few teams that still wants to grind out wins instead of launching threes. It will be interesting to see how that works in conference play.

Kentucky

(8-4), AP: unranked, NET: 109, Projected finish: 7

Best win: None (80-74 at Minnesota is the best by default)

Worst loss: 51-44 to Murray State

Overview: Of Kentucky’s eight wins, just one has come against a top-200 team in the NET. The Wildcats are a completely different team from last season, and the new faces are still figuring things out. They have the unfortunate combination of not shooting well, not rebounding well, and not playing elite defense.

Win a football autographed by Rattler, Emmanwori, Kroeger, and others

LSU

(12-0), AP: 9, NET: 2, Projected finish: 3

Best win: 87-55 over Oregon State

Worst loss: None

Overview: LSU is probably the most controversial team in the country. The Tigers have put up huge numbers against a pretty awful schedule, although they did beat Tulane (NET: 61) and Oregon State (NET:62) in December. The plan was clear: use the nonconference slate to get all the new players acclimated so LSU is ready for SEC play. 

Schedule aside, transfer Angel Reese has put up monster numbers, averaging 24.6 points and 14.7 rebounds per game. Freshman Flau’jae Johnson is averaging 13.2 points and 6.3 rebounds, and Alexis Morris is averaging 12.8 points and 4.3 assists. With Tennessee struggling, LSU has solidified itself as the primary challenger to South Carolina.

Read Part 1 HERE

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