Who: #1 South Carolina (4-0) vs. Mississippi Valley State (1-4). Columbia, SC.

Time/TV: 1:00 pm streaming on SEC Network+

Line: Not one as of publication. Best guess: We’ll have to send away to NASA for this number. Carolina should be able to name the score. We’ll guess SC -58.5 Total: 140.5.

History: South Carolina has never played Miss Valley State. The Delta Devils are members of the SWAC. Carolina has never lost to a SWAC member going 14-0 against the current members of the league.

Last Meeting: Carolina’s last game against a SWAC member came in 2019 against Alabama State on November 5, 2019. Eighth ranked USC won 103-43 with Kiki Herbert-Harrigan leading the Cocks with 13. This was also the debut game for the Freshies. Aliyah Boston messed around and got a triple-debut to kick off her illustrious college career.

The good news for the awesomely nicknamed Devilettes is that they are 1/2 way to their season win total from last season. The bad news is that they have won only one game. Coach Kimberly Anderson has her work cut out for her. She's in year two on her tenure on the Delta. One thing can be said for Anderson, she is not afraid to schedule up as the Devilettes arguably play a more difficult schedule than LSU. MVSU has already played at Utah and LSU. They are at Carolina now. They still play at Ole Miss, Alabama, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M. The Devilettes were projected to finish last by the leagues coaches this preseason.

The Devilettes have never played an NCAA Tournament game. They made the WNIT once in 2012. They really have no chance to win this game as not a single player on their roster would crack South Carolina's rotation. Guards Sh'Diamond McKnight and Jaylia Reed are averaging double figures but neither are particularly good shooters. Guard Leah Turner is the team's best shooter leading MVSU shooting 41.2% from three.

Looking ahead, after this game Carolina steps back up their competition. There next two games are on Tobacco Road at #18 UNC and Duke. UNC is 4-0 and Duke should have beaten Stanford, but lost in OT. The Gamecocks get a gimme game after with Morgan State then head to Connecticut to play 4-1 10th ranked Utah.

A win would be the Gamecocks’ 45th straight at home, matching the program record for consecutive home victories (2/24/13-2/4/16). South Carolina is among the nation’s top five in blocked shots (1st, 11.8 bpg), assist-to-turnover ratio (2nd, 2.4), rebounding (2nd, 53.3 rpg), scoring (3rd, 100.3 ppg), scoring margin (3rd, +44.0), assists (3rd, 26.3) and offensive rebounding (5th, 20.2 rpg).

Sophomore Raven Johnson was named the SEC co-Player of the Week on Tuesday. Her 17 assists against Clemsonwere the most in the NCAA this season and the most in the SEC since 2005, and she poured in a career-best 18 points against South Dakota State.

Carolina is out-scoring opponents in the paint 60.5 to 25.0. They are shooting 61.4 percent in the paint compared to opponents’ 35.5 percent accuracy inside. So far this season, the Gamecocks have scored 60.3 percent of their points in the paint.

This one is simply by how much. Gamecocks 108-40. And while the official GamecockScoop prediction for Clemson is coming soon. I’m going Clemson 27-20. I see Clemson being able to run the football and stop the run being the difference. Hope I’m wrong and enjoy your leftovers!