South Carolina women's basketball: Three questions for next season

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1. Can South Carolina improve its three-point shooting?

Tessa Johnson, Gamecock Nation turns its lonely eyes to you. 

For several years South Carolina hasn’t shot well from three but has done enough to overcome it. That includes the 2020 #1 team, the 2022 national champions, and this year’s Final Four team. The Gamecocks couldn’t overcome it against Iowa, when they shot 4-20 (and 0-8 from the starting lineup).

South Carolina’s lineup will look drastically different next season, but Dawn Staley has always run her offense from the inside out. Who can help spread the court and keep defenses honest?

Looking at returning players, Raven Johnson hit 3-6 from three against Iowa but shot just 24% for the season. Conversely, Bree Hall shot 36% from three for the season but only 1-4 against Iowa. Talaysia Cooper (5-21) and Chloe Kitts (1-4) both shot under 30%, albeit in limited minutes.

Enter Tessa Johnson. The 5-11 guard from Minnesota averaged almost 24 points per game as a senior and scored 27 in her state championship game win. She was a McDonald’s All-American, where she finished third in the three-point contest, and the Gatorade state Player of the Year in a state loaded with talented players.

Johnson has a beautiful jump shot and was able to hit from all over the court in high school. If she can adjust to the longer college three-point distance, she could be the sharpshooter that South Carolina has been in search of for years.

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2. What will next season’s team look like?

For the last three seasons, the Gamecocks have been dominated by the post play of Aliyah Boston and the scoring of Zia Cooke. With both players gone, South Carolina will look significantly different.

Expect a style similar to the 2019-2020 team. That team was led by Tyasha Harris at point guard, and her ability to push the tempo and set up teammates for easy baskets. Raven Johnson has already shown that she is an instant fast break and has an innate ability to set up teammates with good looks.

In addition to Johnson, Bree Hall, Ashlyn Watkins, Sania Feagin, and Chloe Kitts all thrive in the open court whether they are leading the break or finishing. They’ll still pound the ball inside with Kamilla Cardoso, Watkins, and Feagin – the same way the 2020 Gamecocks still worked the ball inside to Boston – but running will be a priority.

The 2020 defense was very good but not as elite as the past two seasons, and that will probably be the case next season. You simply can’t replace defenders like Boston and Brea Beal. Still, with Cardoso, the former ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Hall, Watkins, and Johnson, the Gamecocks will still be a challenge for any opponent.

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3. What are the expectations for next season?

South Carolina is losing 64% of its scoring and minutes played. Outside of Kamilla Cardoso and, to a lesser extent, Bree Hall and Raven Johnson (who were part of a top-ranked recruiting class), there is very limited experience playing meaningful minutes.

Lack of experience doesn’t mean lack of talent. 

Ashlyn Watkins, Sania Feagin, Talaysia Cooper, and Chloe Kitts mostly played in the fourth quarters of blowouts, They looked ready to lead the next era of Gamecock basketball, but it comes with the asterisk that they didn’t do it in close games.

South Carolina also adds Milaysia Fulwiley, who has been described as a generational talent, who could be the next Zia Cooke. Tessa Johnson is an elite scorer, and Sahnya Jah, the forgotten member of the class, is a strong defender who helped her team win the high school national championship. 

ESPN ranked South Carolina #7 in its post-championship game Top 25. Talking to players on and off the record over the last month, the expectation from the team is a return to the Final Four. Copper and Hall, in particular, stressed to me that they saw this year’s Final Four as an apprenticeship, and they expect to be playing in Cleveland and Tampa in the next two years.

In terms of talent, I don’t think there are six teams more talented than South Carolina. But there is understandable doubt until they prove it.

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