It’s time for another notebook, the first of the new year.

South Carolina’s 99-72 win over Kentucky last January was one of the signature games of the season. Along with the wins over Baylor, UConn, and Mississippi State (both), it defined that team.

South Carolina was at home and ranked #4, but many of the pundits thought the game was a toss-up or favored #13 Kentucky. Instead South Carolina shot 61% and led wire-to-wire in a game that was more lopsided than the 27-point margin of victory would suggest. Brea Beal cemented her defensive credentials by outplaying Rhyne Howard, South Carolina doubled up Kentucky on the glass and scored 60 points in the paint while its transition game was breathtaking. It was the game that confirmed South Carolina was a title contender and probably the team to beat. It was also the game where Dawn Staley said she was “not going to drink the Kool-Aid” which led to a season-long beverage watch.

This year’s game against Kentucky was not a Kool-Aid game. South Carolina was ranked #5, but instead of trying to raise expectations was trying to live up to them. Kentucky was #10, at home, and much deeper and more talented than last season. Plus, South Carolina was coming off a pause in team activities following a false positive COVID test that cost them practices and workouts. They got one practice Saturday night and then had to fly to Lexington the morning of the game. Had South Carolina lost, everyone would have understood, given the adversity.

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And then the Gamecocks came out sluggish, looking like a team coming off a pause. Aliyah Boston got in quick foul trouble. Zia Cooke couldn’t buy a basket. They trailed by nine at halftime, and everybody understood: the odds were against them, you can’t expect an A game after what they endured, Kentucky might have defeated a full-strength South Carolina team.

Staley cursed out the team at halftime, told them she didn’t want to hear any excuses. The Gamecocks controlled the second half. They went on a back-breaking 17-2 run. They shut down Howard in the fourth quarter (2-7 shooting) as the Wildcats faltered. It felt like a season-defining win. They showed, for the first time all season, grit, and seemed to turn the corner in a season that has been underwhelming at times. When asked after the game if she sensed the same thing, Staley did not agree.

“No. You look at the first half. We did not look like we were in sync. We didn’t defend well. We made a couple of ill-advised turnovers that led to a lot of easy, uncontested layups for them in transition,” she said, adding, “We just found a way to win, and that’s a really good sign.”

I’m not going to argue basketball with Staley, but I think her answer, in the heat of competition, might change over the course of the season to focus more on the second part than the first.

2. SEC! - SEC!

I wrote last week that the SEC is stronger top to bottom than it has been in a long time. Just as patience from the administration allowed Staley to build a program at South Carolina, patience and pragmatism through some lean years at places like Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, and Arkansas is paying off.

“We’ve grown up. I remember in our spring meeting maybe two years ago or three years ago, it was embarrassing,” Staley said. “When you go back, our coaches look at, we were the youngest league around the country. Two years later we’re ripe. You’re seeing the patience of ADs with allowing coaches to coach and allowing their teams to grow and mature. Now we find ourselves in this place where every night you’re scratching and clawing for a win.”

The SEC placed more teams - eight- in ESPN’s most recent bracketology, with a ninth, Ole Miss, the first team out. (South Carolina is a one seed.) ESPN ranked the top 25 players in the country, and eight came from the SEC, including Rhyne Howard at number one. South Carolina placed three players on the list: Boston (12), Cooke (14), and Destanni Henderson (25). I’m not buying Boston down at #12 either.

The SEC’s depth is another reason Staley wanted to play the Kentucky game despite the disadvantages. Who you beat, especially in the SEC, matters much more this season than who you lose to. A loss wouldn’t have mattered, but that win was a nice boost on South Carolina’s resume, which has the Gamecocks at #4 in the NET rankings.

3. Wooden Award

Boston and Cooke were named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 watch list this week. They are two of nine SEC players on the list. The midseason watch list for the Naismith Trophy will be announced February 9. The Wade Trophy will also release a midseason watch list in February.

4. Player of the Week

Boston was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week on Tuesday, sharing the award with Texas A&M’s Aaliyah Wilson. Wilson is the second Gamecock to be named player of the week. Henderson won the award for week one. Coincidentally, she also shared the award with an Aggie: N’dea Jones. Shockingly, this was Boston’s first true Player of the Week award. She was named freshman of the week five times last season. Boston’s six weekly awards are tied with Jordan Lewis for third most behind Howard (13, including the SEC-record eight freshman of the week honors), Rennia Davis (seven).

5. Naismith Girls’ Midseason Team

All four of South Carolina’s 2021 signees were named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Girls’ Midseason Team. Raven Johnson, Saniya RIvers, Sania Feagin, and Bree Hall were all recognized for being among the top 25 girls high school players in the country. The ten semifinalists will be announced February 2, with five finalists announced February 16. The All-America team will be announced March 8 and the winner will be announced March 10.

6. 2022 updates

Verbal commitments are starting to trickle in for 2022. The biggest, literally, came Wednesday morning when the top-ranked player in the class, 6-7 post Lauren Betts, committed to Stanford. The Gamecocks made a late push with the Colorado native, who included South Carolina in her top nine, but Betts chose to stay west.

A few other players South Carolina was recruiting have eliminated the Gamecocks, including Nyla Harris, Shay Bollin (Duke), and KK Bransford. Most of South Carolina’s main targets remain uncommitted. Those players are Ayanna Patterson, Maya Nnaji, Talaysia Cooper, Ashlyn Watkins, and Lazaria Spearman.