WBB: SEC Quarters Preview - Texas A&M

Who: #1 South Carolina (29-0, 16-0) vs Texas A&M (19-11, 6-10). Greenville, SC.

Time/TV: 12:00 pm on SEC Network

Line: SC -26.5. Total 134.5.

History: Carolina leads the series 11-4, with all of the games being played in the Dawn Staley era. It's not often that the Gamecocks still have a chance to make history, but they will today as USC has never beaten Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament. The Aggies won the only meeting in quarterfinals of the 2013 SEC Tournament by a score of 61-52. A&M would go on to win their only SEC Tournament in 2013.

Last Meeting: South Carolina absolutely throttled the Aggies on their court on January 21st early this season. The Gamecocks led 54-23 at half and cruised to an easy 99-64 win. Five Gamecocks hit double figures with MiLaysia Fulwiley leading the way with 21 off Carolina's bench. Carolina hit 7-13 3-point shots and was 14-17 from the foul line. Oh and USC shot 67% from the field and still managed to out-rebound A&M by a margin of 13. This was one of Carolina's most complete performances of the season.

Texas A&M used a 26-point third quarter to distance themselves from Mississippi State and pull the minor upset Thursday afternoon. Aicha Coulibaly led the Aggies with 17 points and Janiah Barker added 15 as the Aggies kept their NCAA hopes alive with a 72-56 win. While they aren't likely to upset South Carolina, a strong showing good still improve their cause. Charlie Creme had A&M listed as the first team out in last update. The committee may have a hard time overlooking the Aggies 6-10 mark in the SEC. Their first round victim Mississippi State was listed as a last four in selection, will the committee decide that A&M gets the nod? State beat them in the regular season and won two more conference games. A&M entered the day three spots higher in the NET rankings.

Joni Taylor, now in her second season at TAMU, reworked her roster in the offseason through the transfer portal. Lauren Ware is a former five star recruit that played in the 2021 National Championship game at Arizona. The 6'5 forward is now averaging 9.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, and 1.8 bpg. Mitchell also added the aforementioned 2022-2023 Second Team All-SEC selection Aicha Coulibaly from Auburn. The former Tiger guard is A&M's second leading scorer at 12.4 points a night. She also leads the team in steals with 2.3 a game. Both Ware and Coulibaly were on Dawn Staley's radar last offseason but there wasn't much traction between the players and the Gamecock coaching staff. A&M also added Te-Hina Paopao's former Oregon teammate, guard Endyia Rogers. The fifth-year senior is averaging 12.8 points a game and is the Aggies best long range threat at 33.8%. A&M is not a good three-point shooting team connecting on only 27.8% of their attempts.

A&M's roster wasn't entirely crafted through the portal. They returned both Janiah Barker and Sydney Bowles, both were All-SEC Freshman selections last season. Barker is averaging a solid 12.1 points and 7.8 rebounds. She was the nation's third ranked prospect in the 2022 class. We're surprised that Taylor was able to keep Bowles in College Station after bringing guards Coulibaly and Rogers in from the portal. Bowles has seen her minutes cut in half from her freshman season and is averaging less than half of her point total from a year ago. Bowles averaged only 3.5 points and 15.3 minutes this season.

A few quick notes on South Carolina's SEC Tournament history. Carolina has won the event seven times, second only to Tennessee. The Gamecocks have won the event four of the five times its been held in Greenville. Carolina's record in the SEC Tournament when the event has been held in Greenville is 12-1. South Carolina is 31-25 all-time in the tournament. They are 28-8 under Dawn Staley. Carolina is the school to win four straight tournament titles. (2015-2018). The Gamecocks also won the event in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

The Gamecocks just captured their eighth regular-season SEC crown, all of which have come under Staley. Staley also named the SEC Coach of the Year this season for the seventh time. Staley’s eight SEC regular-season championships trail only Pat Summitt’s 16 in league history, and her seven SEC Coach of the Year awards trails Summitt’s league record by just one.

Four Gamecocks picked up All-SEC honors, matching the 2015 team for the most in program history. Kamilla Cardoso was on the first team, while Raven Johnson, Te-Hina Paopao and Ashlyn Watkins were on the second team.Cardoso became the fourth Gamecock to earn SEC Defensive Player of the Year, making it five straight seasons a Gamecock has claimed the title. A list of the SEC year-end awards is below.

Coach of the Year

Dawn Staley, South Carolina

Player of the Year

Angel Reese, LSU

Freshman of the Year

Mikaylah Williams, LSU

Defensive Player of the Year

Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina

6th Woman of the Year

Leilani Correa, Florida

Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Mama Dembele, Missouri

First Team All-SEC

Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alabama

Honesty Scott-Grayson, Auburn

Aneesah Morrow, LSU

Angel Reese, LSU

Marquesha Davis, Ole Miss

Madison Scott, Ole Miss

Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina

Rickea Jackson, Tennessee

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Second-Team All-SEC

Aaliyah Nye, Alabama

Leilani Correa, Florida

Javyn Nicholson, Georgia

Flau'jae Johnson, LSU

Jessika Carter, Mississippi State

Jerkaila Jordan, Mississippi State

Raven Johnson, South Carolina

Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina

Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina

Iyana Moore, Vanderbilt

All-Freshman Team

Essence Cody, Alabama

Taliah Scott, Arkansas

Laila Reynolds, Florida

Aalyah Del Rosario, LSU

Mikaylah Williams, LSU

Grace Slaughter, Missouri

MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina

Khamil Pierre, Vanderbilt

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All-Defensive Team

Angel Reese, LSU

Madison Scott, Ole Miss

Mama Dembele, Missouri

Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina

Jordyn Cambridge, Vanderbilt

South Carolina might not win the rematch by 35, but we don't think they'll be sweating in the fourth quarter. Carolina 84-60.