South Carolina women’s basketball: The 3-2-1 - Clutch players, burning questions, and a favorite play
Last week South Carolina won its program-record 43rd consecutive game, and then saw the streak snapped in a top-five loss at UCLA. We break down the clutch players, burning questions, and our favorite play from an eventful week.
Three Clutch Players
1. Te-Hina Paopao
At Clemson: 25 minutes, 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
At UCLA: 28 minutes, 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Paopao has been South Carolina’s best player this season. She’s averaging a team-high 14.2 points and 3.3 assists, and is shooting 50% from three. This is what she hoped to do by coming back for an extra season.
2. Tessa Johnson
At Clemson: 16 minutes, 8 points, 2 blocks, steal, rebound
At UCLA: 24 minutes, 14 points, 3 rebounds, assist
Once again, Johnson was South Carolina’s lifeline off the bench. She provided a spark in both games. Against Clemson her buzzer-beating three before halftime woke up the Gamecocks, according to Paopao. Against UCLA she scored 12 of the Gamecocks first 14 points to provide a glimmer of hope in the first half.
3. Maddy McDaniel
At Clemson: 13 minutes, 7 points, rebound, assist
At UCLA: 20 minutes, 4 points, 4 assists, 2 steals
McDaniel has led the Gamecocks in assists in two of her four games. She is averaging 3.25 assists per game, just behind Poapoa’s team-high 3.33. After Raven Johnson struggled against Clemson, I wrote that McDaniel had played better. Johnson was better against UCLA, and McDaniel still outplayed her.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Mack Brown
UNC fires head coach
- 2
Milroe responds
Alabama QB fires back at Auburn freshman
- 3New
Spurrier calls out Kiffin
SEC Championship game comments draw ire
- 4
Urban Meyer
Ex-coach addresses Michigan doubters
- 5
Shedeur Sanders
No suspension for ref shove
Two Burning Questions
1. Can South Carolina get right in a hurry?
There is no time for the Gamecocks to lick their wounds. They are off to Fort Myers for a neutral site game against #15 Iowa State. The Cyclones happen to have another dominant post player in Audi Crooks. Beat the Cyclones and the loss to UCLA is a lot easier to swallow. Lose again and there will be some difficult questions to face.
2. Does Staley make a lineup change?
Staley rarely makes changes to her starting lineup, and she has been resistant so far this season. But after yet another slow start, this one finally costing the Gamecocks a win, something has to be done. A change in the starting group would be the most obvious way to shake things up.
One favorite play
Lookign to get the last shot before halftime, Dawn Staley called a timeout to set up a play. Clemson changed its defense and completely disrupted the play. South Carolina didn’t panic and the result was Tessa Johnson knocking down the Gamecocks’ first three of the game as the buzzer sounded. After that the second half was all garnet. It’s plays like this that show the potential the offense has.
