WBB: Five Things to Watch

South Carolina was without four players against Mississippi State due to health and safety protocols: LeLe Grissett, Saniya Rivers, Laeticia Amihere, and Olivia Thompson. Dawn Staley confirmed South Carolina will still have some players out against LSU, but wouldn’t reveal who they are.

“LSU might be listening,” Staley said. “We’ve got a few people out, how about that?”

If we play detective, South Carolina posted a video on social media of the team boarding the plane for Baton Rouge. Zia Cooke, Elysa Wesolek, Eniya Russell, and Rivers were clearly visible in the video, so they are probably available. Rivers and Grissett were in the final stages of the protocols and were allowed on the bench for the Mississippi State game, so it would make sense if Rivers is available. Grissett posted a video Wednesday night that was location-stamped Louisiana, so she either made the trip or is engaged in some misdirection.

Overall, though, players have been pretty quiet on social media, helping to preserve the mystery. We’ll probably find out who is available sometime Thursday evening who will be in uniform for the Gamecocks.

LSU has not announced any personnel issues.

2. Dawn vs. Kim

When Kim Mulkey left Baylor for LSU she immediately became the biggest rival to Staley atop the SEC. With three national championships at Baylor and a Hall of Fame coaching career, Mulkey was expected to take some lumps this season before making LSU a contender. Instead she has LSU contending this season, and an upset over South Carolina would be a huge bragging point.

Mulkey’s often controversial outspokenness has made her a lightning rod. Most fans have a strong opinion of Mulkey, good or bad. Mulkey seems to enjoy the controversy, or at least being a contrarian. Staley isn’t as polarizing as Mulkey, but she also elicits strong opinions.

Rivalries make sports fun, and fans are certainly buying into the excitement of a potential rivalry, even if the coaches have a cordial relationship.

“We talk when we see each other, like on the road or recruiting,” Staley said. “Other than that we’re not like texting partners. I respected Kim and what she’s been able to do at Baylor and now LSU. Obviously any time you’re able to get a woman in there that’s able to move the needle when it comes to getting young kids to buy in, she’s one of the best at it.”

3. Wooden Watch List

The first of the midseason watchlists came out this week. The Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 was released. Three Gamecocks - Cooke, Aliyah Boston, and Destanni Henderson - made the watch list. That’s the most for any team. Stanford (Cameron Brink, Haley Jones) and Maryland (Ashley Owusu, Angel Reese) each had two players. Seven SEC players made the list, including Shakira Austin, Rhyne Howard, Rickea Jackson, and Jenna Staiti. Boston was a finalist for the award last season, which went to Paige Bueckers.

4. SEC! SEC!

It’s only the second week of the season, but the ramifications of this game on the SEC standings could still be felt at the end of the season. LSU (2-0) and Tennessee (2-0) are currently atop the SEC standings. South Carolina (1-1) and LSU are only scheduled to play once this season so the loser won’t have a chance to make up for the loss. LSU already has wins over contenders Georgia and Texas A&M, although they get a rematch.

Because of South Carolina’s surprise loss to Missouri, an LSU win would effectively give the Tigers a three-game lead in the standings (two games plus the tiebreaker) and mean the Gamecocks would need a lot of help over the next two months to win the SEC. A South Carolina win would move the Gamecocks ahead of the Tigers (same record plus tiebreaker).

5. Scouting the Tigers

LSU essentially returned last season’s same team, which went 6-8 in the SEC. Because of that, most observers were expecting only modest improvements under Mulkey this season. But all those returning players are now super seniors, and Mulkey brought a couple of key transfers with her.

Point guard Khayla Pointer was already first team all-SEC last year, and she has been even better this season, averaging 17.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Alexis Morris, a transfer who originally started at Baylor, took a long and winding road to LSU, but she made it and is averaging 14.5 points per game. And there are the familiar names: Faustine Aifuwa (9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds), Jailin Cherry (8.5 points, scored a career-high 19 against South Carolina last season), Awa Trasi (61% shooting).

“They’re seniors, they’re upperclassmen who have been in this league for a long time. They’ve got great guard play. Position-wise, their bigs, they do what they do best. They stay within what they do best and they’re disciplined to it. When you’re like that, more times than not good things happen.”

And one: Aliyah Boston POY Watch

The Wooden Award may have a top 25, but the short list seems to be about three players as Kansas State center Ayoka Lee has entered the national player of the year conversation. Lee had a monster game in Kansas State’s upset of Baylor, scoring 32 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. For the season, Lee is averaging 23.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks. It’s quite a stat line, but Boston dominated the head-to-head meeting with Lee. Boston had 21 points, 17 rebounds, four blocks, and three assists in South Carolina’s 65-44 win, while Lee had 14 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.

Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith remains in the conversation despite the loss, but her 12-point, seven-rebound game didn’t help. Smith is averaging 20.4 points and 12.6 rebounds and shooting 56.4% this season.

Boston is now averaging 16.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, and 1.7 assists. She has notched seven consecutive double-doubles, and remains the frontrunner even after the loss at Missouri.

Like Boston, Lee and Smith are both on the Wooden Midseason Top 25.

The Ws

Who: #1 South Carolina (13-1, 1-1) at #13 LSU (14-1, 2-0)

When: 8:00 pm, Thursday, January 6

Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, LA

Watch: SEC Network+