WBB: Five Things to Watch - #17 Georgia

South Carolina visits Georgia Sunday for a key top-20 matchup.

1. Short-handed again

For the second straight game, South Carolina will be without Laeticia Amihere and Kamilla Cardoso. Both players are with their national teams in the World Cup Qualifying tournaments. Canada has completed its tournament and qualified for the World Cup this fall, so Amihere should be back soon. She started both games and averaged 6.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and an assist as Canada split its two games. Brazil lost its first two games and has one more game on Sunday. Cardoso is averaging 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds and had a double-double against South Korea, who has a WNBA center Ji Su Park.

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The absence of Amihere and Cardoso was felt against Kentucky. South Carolina got good games from reserves Bree Hall, Saniya Rivers, and LeLe Grissett individually, but overall the second unit struggled. 

South Carolina went seven minutes without scoring the second quarter when it turned to the reserves. And of course, South Carolina nearly gave the game away when Dawn Staley tried to rest her starters in the fourth quarter. In both cases, it was clear South Carolina missed Amihere and Cardoso. 

They are the Gamecocks’ top two scorers off the bench and that seven-minute scoreless stretch probably wouldn’t happen with them available. And they probably could have steadied things in the fourth quarter when Rhyne Howard got hot. If nothing else, Howard would have thought twice about driving to the basket with the 6-7 Cardoso in there.

Freshman Sania Feagin got the first look backing up Saxton at the four, but Grissett logged most of the minutes there. That made sense against Kentucky, who starts guard Treasure Hunt at the four. It won’t be quite as clear Sunday. Georgia’s Jordan Isaacs is similarly undersized, but a more traditional forward. Isaacs only plays 17 minutes per game, and Georgia can give South Carolina different looks. The key will be …

2. Boston versus Staiti

Aliyah Boston and Jenna Staiti might be the two best posts in the SEC, and you could make an argument they are the best in the country. They are certainly on the shortlist. Unlike the Boston -Shakira Austin matchup, where the players didn’t guard each other to avoid foul trouble, Georgia has had enough confidence in Staiti to let her play Boston one-on-one. That strategy has produced some great battles with big numbers for Boston and trouble for Staiti. 

Staiti fouled out of both meetings last season but it was a war between the two, especially in the SEC tournament championship game. She averaged 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in the games. Boston, on the other hand, was extraordinary. She averaged 21.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 7.0 blocks, and 1.5 steals. Boston had a triple-double in the first game, and that was somehow the lesser of the two games. 

Foul trouble could play a big role again. If Staiti had been able to stay on the floor in the championship game, there’s a good chance Georgia would have won. Georgia needs Staiti in the game. On South Carolina’s side, the Gamecocks found out against Missouri what happens when Boston is in foul trouble. Against other top players, South Carolina has used its depth to wear down players. With Amihere and Cardoso out, that isn’t as much of an option. And if Boston or Victaria Saxton gets in foul trouble, South Carolina’s depth would be severely tested.

3. M-“V”-P Saxton

Fortunately for the Gamecocks, Saxton is playing her best basketball of the season now when they need her most. Saxton got off to a slow start this season. At Christmas, she was averaging just 4.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, and it took 18 points and 25 rebounds over the last three games to get there. Those numbers were closer to her freshman season than her breakout junior season.

In SEC play, Saxton is averaging 7.3 points and 5.9 rebounds, plus 2.1 blocks and 14 assists. That’s as many as she had all of last season. In fact, her 29 assists this season are as many as she had in her first three seasons combined. Saxton had eight points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks against Kentucky, and after the game Staley talked about what Saxton means to the team.

“We’ve got Victaria Saxton who, by far, is an incredible player,” Staley said. “I think sometimes she gets overshadowed a lot, but if you’re a basketball enthusiast, she makes things happen. She makes big plays, she doesn’t make very many mistakes, she rebounds the basketball, and she does it without complaining. She, to me, is a star. She is a star in what we do in our program. We talk daily about, what are we going to do without V next year? I’m hoping she comes back if the WNBA doesn’t scoop her up.

4. Miscellaneous

There are several other things of note to get caught up on:

Last week the top ten watch lists for the Nancy Lieberman (best point guard) and Lisa Leslie (best center) awards were announced. Destanni Henderson made the Lieberman watch list, and Boston made the Leslie watch list. Boston is the two-time winner of the Leslie award. Fans can vote in the fan vote HERE. Fans can vote once per day.

Next Sunday South Carolina hosts Tennessee. Prior to the game ESPN’s College GameDay will be broadcast live from Colonial Life Arena. Doors will open at 11:30 for fans who want to attend the broadcast. South Carolina is hoping for a sellout and urging fans to color coordinate based on where they sit. Baseline sections should wear white. Sideline sections should wear garnet. 

The game will be broadcast on ABC. Earlier this season ABC broadcast its first-ever women’s college basketball game between UConn and UCLA. ABC also broadcast several NCAA Tournament games last season.

5. Scouting the Lady Bulldogs

South Carolina has won 14 straight over Georgia, but last season’s games were battles. I expected Georgia to be the biggest challenge to South Carolina this season. They returned the key players from last season, including Staiti and Que Morrison, but for some reason, things haven’t quite been clicking for the Lady Bulldogs.

Georgia has a marquee win at NC State, but with five games to go, Georgia already has as many SEC losses as last season. The Lady Bulldogs have struggled against the top tier of the SEC, beating Ole Miss, splitting with Florida, losing twice to LSU, losing to Tennessee, and a really bad loss to Kentucky. The losses have all been by single digits, a sign they aren’t far off, but also a sign that something is missing and they can’t quite close out games.

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Aside from Staiti and Morrison, Georgia has some emerging young players. Sophomore guard Sarah Ashlee Barker has improved significantly from her SEC All-Freshman campaign, although she has struggled with her shot recently.

Freshman Reigan Richardson is coming off a career-high 17 points against LSU. Another freshman, Jillian Hollingshead, seems to be dealing with the freshman wall, but had back-to-back freshman of the week honors earlier in the season. The talent is there.

The Ws

• Who: #1 South Carolina (22-1, 10-1) at #17 Georgia 17-6 (6-5)
• When: Noon, Sunday, February 13
• Where: Stegeman Coliseum, Athens, GA
• Watch: ESPN2