The No. 1/1 women’s basketball from South Carolina is back on the streets this weekend, making its way to Alabama for a tip with the Crimson Tide on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. ET.
History of USC Athletics Communications and Public Relations
Game Information
When: January 29 at 1pm ET
Where from: Tuscaloosa, Alabama / Coleman Coliseum
Regard: ESPN2 (Stephanie White, Pam Ward)
Radio: 107.5 FM / SiriusXM channel. 134 or 190
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Game Notes: South Carolina
Availability of Staley Media: youtube
Gamecock notables
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Based on opposing win percentage, South Carolina has played the 31st toughest schedule in the nation, ranking ninth among nationally ranked teams.
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In their last five games, the Gamecock bench has averaged 92.2 minutes, 35.8 points and 23.6 rebounds. It accounts for 42.4 percent of offense and 49.2 percent of rebounds in this stretch.
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After a program-record rebound performance against #rv/22 Arkansas (Jan. 22), the Gamecocks lead the nation in rebound average (51.1) and rebound margin (+22.7) and are second in offensive rebounds per game (18.4).
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The Gamecocks scored 55.7 percent of their points in paint (46.2 ppg) while limiting opponents to just 20.8 paint points per game on 34.8 percent shooting.
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Seniors Brea Beal and Aliyah Boston were among 15 players named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year this week. Boston is the reigning titleholder while it is Beal’s first watchlist selection for the award.
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According to Her Hoop Stats, Aliyah Boston leads the nation in player defense rating (61.0) and is fifth in player offense rating with a top SEC score of 137.0. She is the only player to place in the top five in both categories.
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Zia Cooke started the season hot and just keeps climbing. In 12 nonconference games, the senior averaged 14.1 points on 41.1 percent shooting, including 37.5 percent from 3-point range. In SEC action, those numbers jumped to 18.5 points per game at 45.7 percent shooting and 39.1 percent 3-point accuracy.
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Kamilla Cardoso averaged a double-double – 10.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg – in her last five games – including double-doubles in her last two games. Her 31 rebounds in the last two games included 14 offensive boards, from which she scored 13 of her 22 total points.
The Alabama Series
South Carolina leads the overall series 30-15 and has won the last 20 encounters, including the last eight in Tuscaloosa.
The last meeting was an 83-51 decision on February 3, 2022 in Columbia, where the Gamecocks dominated the first two quarters and led 53-24 at halftime.
Through the numbers
2 – South Carolina is one of two teams ranked in the nation’s top 10 on offense (8th, 82.9) and defense (1st, 45.7).
23.7 – According to Her Hoop Stats, the Gamecocks blocked 23.7 percent of opponents’ 2-point field goal attempts.
51.1 – South Carolina leads the SEC offensive rebound percentage in league play, which includes 51.1 percent of his own misses.
road ready
The Gamecocks are 294-260 (.531) all-time in road games, including a 119-46 (.721) mark under the head coach Dawn Staley. Their win rate of 0.721 on the street is the best in program history. In SEC road games, Gamecocks sit 82-33 (.713) during Staley’s tenure.
This season, South Carolina’s 8-0 away record is the second best in the nation, with eight wins away in third place.
rebound roundup
South Carolina is routinely among the top rebound teams in the country and hasn’t fallen down this season.
The Gamecocks are among the top two in the nation for rebound margin (1st, +22.6), rebound average (2nd, 51.1), and offensive rebounds (2nd, 18.4). South Carolina secures 50.2 percent of its own misses, leading the nation and has delivered 20.1 second chance points per game.
South Carolina has only been overtaken once this season (41-47 at #2/2 Stanford, Nov. 20) and only four other games have had a single-digit rebound margin. The Gamecocks’ 74 rebounds against Arkansas was a program record for SEC games, and their +57 rebound margin (74-17) was a program record.
Aliyah Boston (9.7, 2nd in SEC, 31st in NCAA) and Kamilla Cardoso (8.4, 4th in SEC) lead rebound efforts and are also two of the top three offensive rebounders in the SEC – 3.5 and 3.8 per game, respectively, with Cardoso ranking 16th in the nation in that statistic.