WBB: Five Things to Watch

Let’s try this again. South Carolina should have it’s most complete roster of the season - everybody except Raven Johnson (who has turned a knee brace into a fashion accessory, if you follow social media) - against Ole Miss. Dawn Staley indicated this would happen against Vanderbilt this past Monday, but after Zia Cooke was unable to practice fully with a left leg injury, the decision was made to hold Cooke out of the game (“I forgot about Zia,” Staley apologized).

“Full reps,” Staley promised Wednesday, saying Cooke will play against the Rebels.

LeLe Grissett started in place of Cooke against Vanderbilt and scored a season-high 14 points to go with five rebounds. However, Staley didn’t entertain the idea of keeping Grissett in the starting lineup. She wants everyone in the role they are used to, and Cooke has never come off the bench, while Grissett is used to being the super sub.

“Psychologically I want everybody at a good place,” Staley said.

2. Saxton, Breezy and Rivers

Grissett wasn’t the only role player who had a big game against Vanderbilt. Victoria Saxton had seven points and 11 rebounds, her second double figure rebounding game of the season. Saxton got off to a slow start this season, often losing minutes in the crowded frontcourt to Laeticia Amihere and Kamilla Cardoso. But her production has picked up since SEC play began and Saxton is averaging 8.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. Those numbers are in line with her production during her breakout junior season, and she has been a terror on the offensive glass, pulling down 4.2 offensive boards over the last five games.

The easy win over Vanderbilt, plus the week of practice, allowed Staley to essentially turn the fourth over to her second unit, giving them a chance to prove what they could do in a game setting. For Amihere and Cardoso, it wasn’t a big deal, even sophomore Eniya Russell has been there before, but the extended playing time for freshmen Bree Hall and Saniya Rivers to show off. Both Hall and Rivers have had big games earlier in the season (Hall against Kentucky, Rivers against Maryland), but Monday was the first time they were running the show. The results were impressive. Hall scored a career-high ten points, plus two rebounds and an assist, with all but one basket coming in the fourth quarter. Rivers got time at point guard and did a good job running the team. She scored all seven of her points in the fourth, and added a rebound and assist.

As South Carolina has dealt with injuries and illness, including those to Hall and Rivers, they haven’t had consistent roles or playing time. If South Carolina is finally as healthy as it gets, maybe they can establish a consistent role.

3. Boston v. Austin

Aliyah Boston will face perhaps her best challenger for SEC Player of the Year in Ole Miss’ Shakira Austin. Austin was first-team All-SEC last season and is even better this season, having improved her outside shot. Austin has more help this season so her numbers are down slightly from last season, but in SEC play she is averaging 17.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks and she is coming off a 24-points game against Kentucky.

“Talented. Very efficient. Her mid-range shot is pretty automatic. Her drives to the basket, they’re great. Her footwork is going to be challenging for us,” Staley said. “It’s a tough matchup for our bigs.”

Austin will also have to guard Boston, so South Carolina’s best defense on Austin might be Boston’s offense. South Carolina can also throw Saxton, Amihere, and Cardoso at Austin. Last season against South Carolina, Austin had 22 points (more than half of Ole Miss’ 43 points), but shot 8-19. Boston had just seven points, part of the three-game slump at the end of the season where South Carolina experimented with her as a point forward.

4. Watch List Madness

On Tuesday Boston was named one of 15 players named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch list. Boston was a finalist for the Naismith Player and Defensive Player of the Year Awards last season, the only player on both lists, although she didn't win.

On Wednesday, Boston was named the midseason national player of the year by The Athletic.

Also Tuesday, Incoming freshmen Talaysia Cooper and Ashlyn Watkins were both named McDonald's All Americans. They will become the 21st and 22nd McDonald's All Americans to play for South Carolina, all in the Staley Era (the girls McDonald' game started in 2002). Four (Kaela Davis, Destiny Littleton, Kamilla Cardoso, and Te'a Cooper signed elsewhere then transferred to South Carolina). Excluding Olivia Thompson, who was brought in as a walk-on, South Carolina has not added a non-McDonald's All-American to the roster since 2018 when it signed Elysa Wesolek and Saxton, who despite her lack of fast food credentials became a three-time captain and two year starter.

Earlier in January, Cooper and Watkins were named to the 25-member Naismith High School Girls Midseason Team. Raven Johnson won the award last season.

5. Scouting the Rebels

Ole Miss doesn’t have the same brand recognition of UConn, the team it replaced on the schedule, but the Rebels are a very good team, and they sit just a half-game behind the Gamecocks for second place in the SEC. They’ve come a long, long way since the Gamecocks held them to just two points in the first half in 2020.

“Two or three years ago you could see glimpses of it, but now it’s full-time,” Staley said.

In addition to adding Austin in the transfer portal, coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has recruited at an extremely high level. Madison Scott, who is averaging 11.3 points and 6.1 rebounds, was the SEC Freshman of the Year last season. Snudda Collins was named to the All-Freshman team.

McPhee-McCuin has built a team that bears more than a passing resemblance to how Staley built South Carolina: tough defense, deliberate offense, and some attitude.

“They turn you over. They pressure the ball full court. They make it difficult for you to throw entry passes in the half court. They’re deliberate on the offensive end. They know exactly where their shots are coming from,” Staley said. “It’s going to be a doozy of a game.”

Ole Miss is 11th in the country in turnover margin at +6.7. They turn the ball over 13.9 times per game, only slightly better than South Carolina’s 15.2, but they force a whopping 20.6 per game. South Carolina has turned the ball over in bunches this season, so protecting the ball is an absolute must.

Conversely, one of Ole Miss’ weaker areas is rebounding, which, of course, is South Carolina’s bread and butter: the Gamecocks lead the nation in rebounding margin (+17.9) by a significant amount. South Carolina is also rebounding 47.2 percent of its missing, a shocking percentage.

The team that better takes away the other team’s advantage has the best chance of winning.

This, That, and the Other

- Tickets for the January 27 UConn game are good for the Ole Miss game.

- Fans are asked to wear white for a “White Out.”

- For those watching on TV, at halftime of the game the NCAA will release its first Top 16 rankings. The rankings represent the top 16 seeds if the NCAA Tournament began today. They are considered a snapshot in time, not a basis for future rankings.

- From South Carolina: “Because of the earlier than usual start time, the parking shuttle will run from Founders Park (baseball) instead of the Pendleton Street Garage, which will not have space available due to faculty, staff and student vehicles parked there. The shuttle from Founders Park will begin operating at 2:30 p.m. All other parking lots will operate as normal.”

The Ws

Who: #1 South Carolina (18-1, 6-1) vs #24 Ole Miss (17-2, 5-1)

When: 6:00 pm, Thursday, January 27

Where: Colonial Life Arena

Watch: ESPN