COLUMBIA, SC – No. 2/2 South Carolina wraps up a two-game homestand on Sun., Nov. 23, at 2 p.m., hosting Queens at Colonial Life Arena. The game will stream live on SECN+.

Gameday Information
Doors Open: 1 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. for Fast Break Pass

South Carolina Gamecocks (5-0)
Head Coach: Dawn Staley
Top Scorer: Joyce Edwards (18.8)
Top Rebounder: Madina Okot (10.6)

Queens Royals (3-2)
Head Coach: Jen Brown
Top Scorer: Brenae Grant-Jones (13.8)
Top Rebounder:Brenae Grant-Jones (13.8)

 

Gamecock Notables

Even ranking fourth in the nation in field goal percentage (.545), South Carolina is 13th in the country in second-chance points with 18.4 per game. The Gamecocks are eighth in the NCAA in offensive rebounding percentage, pulling down 47.3 percent of their missed shots.

The Gamecock defense has allowed just one team to score more than 55 points this season, ranking 14th in the nation in scoring defense (49.2) and third in field goal percentage defense (.279).

South Carolina’s rebounding effort has ramped up since the season opener with the Gamecocks averaging 50.8 rebounds over the last four games with a +22.8 rebounding margin in that time. For the season, South Carolina is fifth in the nation in rebounding margin (+19.6) and 12th in rebounds per game (48.2).

The Gamecocks’ unanimous national player of the year candidates Joyce Edwards and Ta’Niya Latson are atop the team scoring chart with Edwards’ 18.8 points per game ranking fourth in the SEC and Latson delivering a 17.0 scoring average. Each has a pair of 20-point games this season, and both are scoring efficiently with Edwards eighth in the SEC with a .580 field goal percentage and Latson 12th at .556.

Junior Tessa Johnson is making her pitch to join her teammates on various watch lists with her 13.8 points per game to start to the season. She is third in the SEC in 3-point percentage (.462) and 15th in overall field goal percentage at .510.  Both numbers are career highs. Praise has come from her coaches not just in her offensive production but in her steady, high-IQ play throughout each game.

Senior Madina Okot has been dominant on the glass and is finding her strength offensively as well. With double-digit rebounds in each of the last four games she is third in the SEC and 24th in the nation with 10.6 boards per game, including 3.8 on the offensive end to rank fourth in the league. She is becoming more of a focal point in the offense as well, averaging 11.0 field goal attempts per game over the last three outings and handing out a career-high three assists in her last outing (Winthrop, Nov. 19).

Senior Raven Johnson is third in the SEC in assists per game (6.8, 10th in NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (4.3).

 

The Queens Series
The Gamecocks and Royals have played once before in women’s basketball, back in the AIAW days when the Charlotte-based university was known as Queens College. South Carolina won that meeting 103-55 on Jan. 27, 1979, in Raleigh.

 

Paint Production
South Carolina has long controlled the paint, and this season looks to be no different.

With 57.1 percent of their points coming in the paint, the Gamecocks are fifth in the nation with 51.2 paint points per game and are out-scoring opponents in that space by an average of 30.8 points. They are shooting 64.6 percent in the paint compared to opponents’ 36.2 percent accuracy.

The paint production has been spread across the roster with guards accounting for 20.8 paint points per game – 40.6 percent of the total scoring in that space.