Markeshia's Corner: South Carolina vs. Texas - Matchups to watch, keys to the win

This story first appeared in GamecockCentral’s GamecocksW newsletter!

Markeshia Grant, who played two seasons for Dawn Staley, is back to provide fans with South Carolina women’s basketball analysis.

You can get her unique insights from the FREE GamecocksW newsletter here.

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South Carolina women’s basketball hit the road on Thursday and dominated the Georgia Bulldogs with a 74-42 victory, securing the Gamecocks’ 19th consecutive win over the Bulldogs while holding them to a season-low in scoring.

Game Highlights

• The Gamecocks controlled the glass, outrebounding Georgia by 19 (47-28), including 14 offensive boards that created second-chance opportunities.
• South Carolina made their defensive presence felt, forcing Georgia into 17 turnovers while racking up 8 blocks and 9 steals—disrupting dribble penetration, protecting the rim, and dictating the game’s tempo from start to finish.

Standout Performances

Chloe Kitts – Setting the Tone Inside

Chloe set the tone once again for the Gamecocks, helping establish South Carolina’s post presence. She finished with 11 points and 7 rebounds, making her impact felt on both ends.

Sania Feagin – Stuffing the Stat Sheet

Sania delivered a well-rounded performance, stuffing the stat sheet with 6 points, 5 assists, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals—further proving why she earned a spot on the Katrina McClain Award Top 10 list as one of the nation’s best forwards.

Bench Production – Seatbelt Gang 

The Gamecocks’ Seatbelt Gang showed up and showed out, as they have all season long delivering 41 bench points and 19 rebounds—again showing why they are the nation’s top-scoring second unit at 42 PPG.

• MiLaysia Fulwiley added 13 points and 5 rebounds, and once again had a signature highlight.
• Tessa Johnson had 12 points on 5-8 (62.5%) shooting.
• Joyce Edwards and Maddy McDaniel added 6 points apiece, respectively.
• Maryam Dauda and Adhel Tac rounded out the bench scoring with 4 points.

[Win tickets to the South Carolina-Florida women’s basketball game]

Up Next: South Carolina Gamecocks 22-1 (10-0) vs. Texas Longhorns (23-2, 9-1 SEC)

Last Time Out

South Carolina’s defensive intensity was on full display as they held Texas to 27% shooting from the field and just 20% from beyond the arc.

Breezy Hall was tasked with the tough assignment of guarding sophomore Madison Booker and did so with remarkable discipline, limiting Booker to only 7 points on a difficult 3-for-19 shooting night.

Additionally, Raven Johnson played a crucial role by consistently disrupting Rori Harmon’s ability to set up her teammates, effectively neutralizing one of Texas’ key offensive playmakers. This collective defensive effort not only stifled Texas’ scoring but also showed South Carolina’s commitment to team defense and why they are one of the best in the country.

Key Matchups to Watch

Breezy Hall vs. Madison Booker

• The Longhorns’ talented sophomore and leading scorer has the ability to take over games, so South Carolina has to make her think about something other than scoring. 
• She’s known for her mid-range game, so Breezy needs to use her length to force her into taking contested shots. On top of that, Breezy has to keep constant pressure on her to speed her up so she cannot find her rhythm.
• Box her out because she likes to crash the offensive boards for putbacks or extra possessions for her team.
• Attack her feet on defense, as she is foul-prone.

Raven Johnson vs. Rori Harmon

• Rori Harmon is the head-of-the-snake, which is a basketball term used to describe the most important player/leader of a team. Raven will be tasked with disrupting her and making her think about something other than facilitating and playmaking. 
• Raven will have to play her honest but make her make uncharacteristic decisions.
• Defend her without fouling because she likes to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line. 
• The Gamecocks have to be aware of her ability to slide in at the last second to take charges.
• Attack her on offense because she will foul but also protect the ball. 

Post Play vs. Texas Longhorns 

Texas brings size and length in the frontcourt, which was evident in their last matchup against the Gamecocks when they grabbed 20 offensive rebounds.

To limit that, South Carolina’s posts must stay disciplined in boxing out and controlling the glass to limit second-chance points.

Additionally, they can’t allow Texas to establish deep post position. On the offensive end, South Carolina’s bigs bring size and athleticism so they must stay aggressive by attacking Texas’ foul-prone frontcourt and give them multiple moves because they try to block all shots.

Gamecocks’ Advantages

South Carolina’s depth, defensive intensity, speed, and athleticism give them the edge. To control the game, they must push the tempo and be ready for Texas’ full-court man defense.

Keys to the Win

1. Keep the main thing, the main thing – Stay focused and control the pace.

2. Set the tone early – It’s an away game that will probably be sold out, so it’s important to establish dominance from the start.

3. Lock in on defense – The Gamecocks’ stifling man-to-man defense holds teams more than 20+ points below their season average.

4. Bench production – South Carolina’s second unit continues to be the best in the country and is getting more and more confident each game.

5. Win the rebounding battle – Last time out, the Gamecocks outrebounded the Longhorns, although they had more offensive rebounds.

6. Take care of the ball – Averaging 16.8 assists per game, ball movement will be key, especially on the road in a tough environment.

7. Force turnovers – South Carolina forces 17.5 TOs per game, while Texas averages 13.2 TOs per game.

8. Convert at the free-throw line – Texas is foul-prone, averaging 17.3 fouls per game, so the Gamecocks must capitalize at the stripe.

9. Play hard, play smart, play disciplined, play together, play and act like champions!

10. Have fun!

Matchups between Dawn Staley and Vic Schaefer have always been epic, with Staley holding a 12-3 edge. This one should be no different as South Carolina looks to keep its winning streak alive against Texas.

This story first appeared in GamecockCentral’s GamecocksW newsletter!

Markeshia Grant, who played two seasons for Dawn Staley, is back to provide fans with South Carolina women’s basketball analysis.

You can get her unique insights from the FREE GamecocksW newsletter here.

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