South Carolina Shooting

[malevocalist#]

USC is really shooting the ball well tonight. IF their gaurds can play like that in the tournament they would be hard to beat. But then again Kentucky don't play defense like Uconn.

 

[Nuyoika]

They had a really good offensive game for them. I guess the pivotal word in your post is "tonight". Can they do it tomorrow? Can they do it 6 games in a row in the NCAA tourney? The law of averages and logic says no. Teams don't magically change who they are in March. However, it was still really nice to see the players smiling and happy. While they show-boat more than I am accustomed to I'm sure it felt good to see the ball go through the hoop. The only problem for them is it took their best game of the season to get to 93 and any team they face if they get to the FF is averaging at least 80 a game and will have significantly more balance than Kentucky. Also, they had to hit 12 threes to get there. For a team that normally only shoots 35% from three I wouldn't count on that happening again. On the upside they passed the ball A LOT better today. They usually have a negative assist to turnover ratio and rarely get much in the way of points from their bench. Clearly the best game I have ever seen them play.

 

[SCGamecock]

That's a really long post just to say the game was a fluke. You could've saved yourself time and responded "it was a fluke"...

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Honestly, the difference today was Mikayla Epps guaranteeing on tv after Kentucky won last night that they would beat USC today. Maybe we will be properly fired up the rest of the way.

 

[Blueballer]

Honestly, the difference today was Mikayla Epps guaranteeing on tv after Kentucky won last night that they would beat USC today. Maybe we will be properly fired up the rest of the way.

Did she really? That was brilliant.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Did she really? That was brilliant.

She sure did and not only that, I understand she repeated it to some of our fans she saw at their hotel last night. It will be interesting when Kentucky plays in Columbia next season.

 

[Nuyoika]

That's a really long post just to say the game was a fluke. You could've saved yourself time and responded "it was a fluke"...

It was no doubt a performance. It cannot be considered a fluke until the conclusion of the season, if in fact it is one at all. If they can repeat the effort consistently from today til April 5th, then they will be doing now what was expected all year. I was just pointing out that what they did tonight is what the traditional FF teams do night in and night out. Even still it looked good. I just don't think the SCar coaching staff is banking on any more games like tonight just like they weren't expecting a game like yesterday's again. Friday's game was the worst of the season and tonight's was the best. If I had to put money on it I would wager they play in the middle for the rest of the season. You honestly, didn't think they were gonna win by 30 and hit 12 threes? No one did. I had them winning by 8.

 

[Wbbfan1]

South Carolina's best game of the year. Play like this rest of the way and they'll be in the Final Four where anything can happen. Notre Dame vs South Carolina; if they play like they did today; would be a great match up in the semi finals.

 

[Hoopz]

Honestly, the difference today was Mikayla Epps guaranteeing on tv after Kentucky won last night that they would beat USC today. Maybe we will be properly fired up the rest of the way.

I saw the interview with Epps & Steffi Sorensen was referencing her saying the same thing last year. Epps was somewhat laughing as she said it. You'd think SC would be a little more fired up about the way they played against Auburn than a comment.

 

[SCGamecock]

There is some bad blood between the Gamecocks and Wildcats. Our coaches HATE one another. They are disgusted by the others presence. It's borderline at times but good for SEC WBB.

 

[Hoopz]

There is some bad blood between the Gamecocks and Wildcats. Our coaches HATE one another. They are disgusted by the others presence. It's borderline at times but good for SEC WBB.

Is there anyone Dawn Staley is not disgusted by? Her demeanor is pretty bad.

 

[chuck.r]

I didn't watch the game, but I imagine the fact Kentucky was playing their 3rd game in three days had some impact on the team's performance - slower a step on defense and a little less spring in their shots. That the final score was so lop-sided would indicate their tank was empty by the end. South Carolina was the likely victor in any case, but the circumstances favored them as well. Kudos to their perimeter shooting reducing UK's margin of error to nil and making the task far more insurmountable.

This is an edge for Miss. St. as well - Tennessee is also playing their 3rd in three days.

 

[SCGamecock]

It was no doubt a performance. It cannot be considered a fluke until the conclusion of the season, if in fact it is one at all. If they can repeat the effort consistently from today til April 5th, then they will be doing now what was expected all year. I was just pointing out that what they did tonight is what the traditional FF teams do night in and night out. Even still it looked good. I just don't think the SCar coaching staff is banking on any more games like tonight just like they weren't expecting a game like yesterday's again. Friday's game was the worst of the season and tonight's was the best. If I had to put money on it I would wager they play in the middle for the rest of the season. You honestly, didn't think they were gonna win by 30 and hit 12 threes? No one did. I had them winning by 8.

You're right in that I didn't expect to beat UK by 30... not because I didn't think we're capable of beating them in that way but only because our games with UK are always close.

Tonight we played like the team we've been capable of the entire season. Expectations were high and people expected big things. SC is a top 5 team, but they have to show up every night.

There were two BIG differences tonight.. One was Wilson and Coates getting started early. Wilson was money anywhere from the goal to about 17 feet out. Coates even hit a few jumpers outside the paint.

The other difference tonight was our guard play. Mitchell was Mitchell as usual. Roy hit her big shots as usual.... but Sessions and Cuevas were PHENOMENAL almost. Sessions hit threes and pretty much played lock down defense. Cuevas was knocking down shots from all over. Cuevas looked like a former McDonald's All-American tonight.

The question isn't "can SC play like this every night"... They can. The question is will they be motivated to play on fire like they were tonight. I put that responsibility on Dawn.... she has to get them ready every game just like today. Her coaching (motivating) ability will be tested.

 

[SCGamecock]

Is there anyone Dawn Staley is not disgusted by? Her demeanor is pretty bad.

Well, she seems to like every other SEC coach.. especially Auburn's coach, Nikki Fargas, UGA's Taylor, and she respects Holly Warlick a lot... She really likes Jeff Walz and Kim Barnes-Arrico. She even likes Geno Auriemma.... who could like Geno, right? Dawn does.

They only person she doesn't like is Matthew Mitchell. And she's never come out and said that either.... so to answer your question, yes.

 

[HuskyZee]

Is there anyone Dawn Staley is not disgusted by? Her demeanor is pretty bad.

Geno!

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Is there anyone Dawn Staley is not disgusted by? Her demeanor is pretty bad.

She loves our fans and we love her. Her players love her, too.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Geno!

That is funny; actually they seem to get along well.

 

[malevocalist#]

Honestly, the difference today was Mikayla Epps guaranteeing on tv after Kentucky won last night that they would beat USC today. Maybe we will be properly fired up the rest of the way.

So that's the reason they were jabbing back and forth at each other huh. I caught the game at the beginning of the 3rd quarter. But I noticed the showboating directed toward Epps. Mitchell even started a (shake your body dance) after hitting the 3...(something i wouldn't condon though).

Nevertheless it was odd to see. Then I said to myself something is going on here that I don't know about. Someone must of been trash talking prior to the game.

However, that is something as a player you have to avoid. Can't get caught up in that. Just let your game do the talking and leave it there on the court.

Bianca was even firing 3's all over the place. Well as one poster put it, "great game (Tonight)."

I'm not going to take anything from USC. GREAT GAME.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

So that's the reason they were jabbing back and forth at each other huh. I caught the game at the beginning of the 3rd quarter. But I noticed the showboating directed toward Epps. Mitchell even started a (shake your body dance) after hitting the 3...(something i wouldn't condon though).

Nevertheless it was odd to see. Then I said to myself something is going on here that I don't know about. Someone must of been trash talking prior to the game.

However, that is something as a player you have to avoid. Can't get caught up in that. Just let your game do the talking and leave it there on the court.

Bianca was even firing 3's all over the place. Well as one poster put it, "great game (Tonight)."

I'm not going to take anything from USC. GREAT GAME.

The bad blood between USC and Kentucky has been around and Epps talking junk on tv AND to our fans on Friday put the nail in their coffin. Oddly, we will likely play in the Lexington Regional. I might ought to bring my own food and drink from out of state when I travel to Lexington.

 

[geneticrex]

The bad blood between USC and Kentucky has been around and Epps talking junk on tv AND to our fans on Friday put the nail in their coffin. Oddly, we will likely play in the Lexington Regional. I might ought to bring my own food and drink from out of state when I travel to Lexington.

Epps is one dimensional and her team is overrated. Under those circumstances, it's best to keep quite.

Kentucky has nothing for SC.

 

[Plebe]

The bad blood between USC and Kentucky has been around and Epps talking junk on tv AND to our fans on Friday put the nail in their coffin. Oddly, we will likely play in the Lexington Regional. I might ought to bring my own food and drink from out of state when I travel to Lexington.

Charlie has said that Kentucky will not be in Lexington if South Carolina is.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Charlie has said that Kentucky will not be in Lexington if South Carolina is.

No, but their fans work in the hotels and restaurants of Lexington.

 

[Plebe]

No, but their fans work in the hotels and restaurants of Lexington.

Ah, gotcha ... One would hope those "fans" would channel their passions into traveling with their team rather than staying behind to heckle their nemesis.

I'm just curious: Would you rather travel farther, e.g. to Dallas, just to avoid Lexington?

 

[Hoopz]

No, but their fans work in the hotels and restaurants of Lexington.

What is that supposed to mean?

 

[HuskyNan]

Is there anyone Dawn Staley is not disgusted by? Her demeanor is pretty bad.

I really don't get this attitude. Dawn and Geno are a lot alike and anyone that doesn't see it has their Husky blue glasses on. Mechelle Voepel gets it, and so does Geno.

Geno & Dawn article and video