South Carolina women's basketball: Three things we learned against Arkansas and Vanderbilt

South Carolina responded to the UConn loss with a pair of wins by an average of 34 points. Here’s what we learned from the blowouts of Arkansas and Vanderbilt.

1. Fulwiley is back
You could see it percolating. Texas couldn’t stay in front of her. Neither could UConn. They got bailed out by an injury and foul trouble. 

MiLaysia Fulwiley has been a terror on defense and has hunted out her teammates. She’s also cut down on – but not eliminated – the bad shots.

Fulwiley made one spectacular play after another against Arkansas. They count the same as a routine jumper, but they get Fulwiley and the rest of the Gamecocks fired up. And when Fulwiley starts feeling good, she has the confidence to make even more big plays.

Fulwiley had two of her best games of the season this week. She had 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists against Arkansas. Then she tied her career-high with 24 points against Vanderbilt while also chipping in four rebounds and two steals.

“We’re just giving her the tools to operate in that space because it’s not just one way,” Dawn Staley said. “You’ve got to be multifaceted when it comes to playing at that elite level. Talent-wise, she’s got the talent. Now is the crux of playing in the league, how do you handle certain situations, starting or not starting, when you go 0-4, you got to defend. So its all those things that we’re adding to what she’s already brought to us.”

Fulwiley has scored in double-figures in eight consecutive games. In that span, she has raised her scoring average from 11.1 points to 12.1 and raised her shooting percentage from under 41% to 42.3%. It’s a small but significant improvement. 

Fulwiley had a February slump last season but then started playing her best basketball in the final week of the regular season. It’s that time again.

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2. The Freshman of the Year race isn’t quite over
A week ago it looked like the Freshman of the Year race was over. Mikayla Blakes scored 55 points, her second 50-point game of the season, and South Carolina got run off its home court by UConn. 

Not so fast, said Joyce Edwards, probably. 

Blakes and Vanderbilt lost consecutive games by 20 at Oklahoma and 28 to South Carolina. Meanwhile, Edwards had 18 points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes during a rout of Arkansas followed by 17 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals in outplaying Blakes (19 points, seven rebounds) head-to-head.

Blakes probably still wins it because her stats are spectacular (I mean, double nickels!?). But Edwards is putting up some pretty spectacular numbers for a first-place team instead of a ninth-place team.

I still think Blakes gets Freshman and Edwards gets Sixth Woman so that they both get a trophy.

3. The Gamecocks responded the right way, but will it last?

They also responded the right way to the Texas loss, and then spit the bit against UConn, so it’s not like the season automatically fixed.

But they looked good in both games. It took a little while to get going against Arkansas, and the shots wouldn’t fall in the first half against Vanderbilt. It didn’t matter. 

South Carolina locked in defensively to get easy baskets until the offense found its rhythm. It crashed the glass. There were big games from Fulwiley and Edwards. Te-Hina Paopao showed leadership. Players looked engaged. 

There are, at most, 11 games left in the season: two regular season, three SEC tournament, and six NCAA tournament. Can the Gamecocks play like this 11 more times?

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