Does South Carolina enter the NCAAs undefeated?

[cockhrnleghrn]

With Saniya on the roster, we probably don't get a Tehina Pao Pao out of the portal.. or even Fulwiley. I think Pao is more of what this particular team needed this season, a guard that can take over a game with their shooting. I loved Saniya, but I think it worked out for all parties. She has a great role that fits her game at NCSU.

I think Fulwiley decided, years ago, that she was going to be a Gamecock. With us adding Tac, Edwards and McDaniel and likely losing Kardoso and Pao Pao, we should be even better next season due to maturation of the other players. I'd also expect Dawn to add another post out of the transfer portal.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I wanna be nice to the chicken fans

You rang, Mr. Addams?!

 

[LoTrader]

Unless South Carolina fouls out everyone on their team, Tennessee will not beat South Carolina

 

[Darwin]

I see SC having 4 realistic chances of getting beat prior to the tournament. We have:
-at LSU on Thursday
-vs UCONN on Feb 12
-at Tennessee on Feb 16
-vs LSU in SEC Tournament


South Carolina hasn’t lost in South Carolina since 2020, I don’t see anyone aside from UCONN/LSU with a realistic shot to do it this year.

LSU on Thursday is a huge matchup but Gamecocks look like the clear cut better team at the moment.

UCONN is playing well and lacks size but has Paige Bueckers. SC still is the heavy favorite playing at home but I wouldn’t count out UCONN.

Tennessee is a potential trap game for SC, as SC willl be coming off a big UCONN game 4 days earlier. Tennessee has talent and has put together some solid wins as of late after a slow start. I still think this is a long shot for Tennessee but SC often has a couple of random mediocre road showings in SEC season and this one jumps out more than any other SEC road game (besides LSU).

SEC Tournament I could see LSU pulling out an upset if Hailey Van Lith figures out how to run the team (or if they move Willliams to PG). Big advantage to SC though since the tournament is now in Soith Carolina, so it’ll be a home court atmosphere for the Gamecocks.

Right now my vote is no, I predict they will lose before the tournament. I’m not sure who pulls it off, though I think LSU has the best odds on Thursday.

I doubt SC goes clean before the tourney, so hard to do. How many times has that happened? But even with 1-2 losses they are a sure #1 seed, and I would not bet against them on a neutral court. At LSU tomorrow is likely the hardest challenge, I could see a loss there, but even then it would be close imo.

 

[Darwin]

I wanna be nice to the chicken fans

Thx again Duck fan.

 

[bballnut90]

I think Fulwiley decided, years ago, that she was going to be a Gamecock. With us adding Tac, Edwards and McDaniel and likely losing Kardoso and Pao Pao, we should be even better next season due to maturation of the other players. I'd also expect Dawn to add another post out of the transfer portal.

Are there rumblings that Pao Pao is going pro? It makes sense from a standpoint of having Fulwiley transition into a starting role, but Pao Pao fits in so darn well and seems to be thriving in Columbia, so part of me would be surprised to see her leave after just 1 year.

 

[bballnut90]

I doubt SC goes clean before the tourney, so hard to do. How many times has that happened? But even with 1-2 losses they are a sure #1 seed, and I would not bet against them on a neutral court. At LSU tomorrow is likely the hardest challenge, I could see a loss there, but even then it would be close imo.

In recent times South Carolina last year was the only squad to pull it off going back to 2018. We've seen a lot of 1 loss squads though, which is likely how I see SC entering the tournament this year.

 

[maple]

Unless South Carolina fouls out everyone on their team, Tennessee will not beat South Carolina

Depends on who is doing the officiating, I guess.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Are there rumblings that Pao Pao is going pro? It makes sense from a standpoint of having Fulwiley transition into a starting role, but Pao Pao fits in so darn well and seems to be thriving in Columbia, so part of me would be surprised to see her leave after just 1 year.

She hasn't declared her intentions, yet, but I'd be surprised if she uses her Covid year. I certainly hope she stays.

 

[darrell]

Are there rumblings that Pao Pao is going pro? It makes sense from a standpoint of having Fulwiley transition into a starting role, but Pao Pao fits in so darn well and seems to be thriving in Columbia, so part of me would be surprised to see her leave after just 1 year.

Didn‘t Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis have another year of eligibility (though they had to sit a year)? Maybe winning, or not winning, a title could be the deciding factor.

 

[JstVisiting]

In my view, Dawn should have won 3 NCs (maybe 4) in the Boston years. Only malign fortune prevented it. Yes, the perimeter shooting was a weakness on those teams, and Iowa exploited it. But it wouldn’t have taken much to go their way for the results to have been very different.

…Dawn may make a few more questionable decisions than her peers. Of course, what I think are mistakes may also be what she has to do to keep a long, very talented bench happy. I haven’t run the numbers, but I think she doesn’t lose much talent to the portal. In fact, even recruiting to a team as loaded as SC takes a sort of genius.

The COVID panic was bigger than a lost chance at a title as a unanimous #1. It cost the Boston class a chance to experience the postseason with a senior All American at point.

Whatever happened in 2020, I’ve always felt a postseason with Ty Harris, who had already won a title, would have helped the then-freshman enough that they would have been more settled in the 2021 Final Four with Stanford.

Tough to say “more questionable decisions than her peers” when her only peers are Geno, VanDerveer, and Mulkey. Dawn’s only 53. She’s a full generation behind Geno and V, and nearly a decade younger than Mulkey.

Geno had established his dynasty by then, but surely he’s learned something since 2008. Fwiw, he had four Naismith+WBCA COY awards at that age. If Dawn wins this year, it would be her fourth composite COY, and a third championship would put her ahead of Mulkey and VanDerveer at the same age.

Believe me, I’m much more critical among Carolina fans than here. But it took a single upset to go from shooting as an Achilles Heel to arguably the best shooting team in the country. Roy Williams retired before making the adjustment. To whatever extent it’s necessary, she’s got time to catch her peers

 

[JstVisiting]

In my world, upsets do happen. Last night, I watched a great game where #16 Utah beat #2 UCLA. Massey odds are 2:1 that South Carolina wins, with a margin of 5-6 points. A 35% chance of a UConn win makes the game exciting.

Pat Summit had two 3 game winning streaks against Geno. Has anybody ever beaten him four times in a row?

 

[JstVisiting]

@Bone Dog I think Dawn would agree she should have won three championships.

It would take sci-fi truth serum to get this out of her because of how it would be received, but if you gave her the magic truth serum, she’d say 2020 was taken by NCAA administrators and 2023 was taken by… other NCAA employees.

Things that are never said in public are sometimes said in closed locker rooms though, and I think that’s one reason this team has appeared to be so incredibly focused from Game 1.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Didn‘t Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis have another year of eligibility (though they had to sit a year)? Maybe winning, or not winning, a title could be the deciding factor.

That is correct.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Pat Summit had two 3 game winning streaks against Geno. Has anybody ever beaten him four times in a row?

Pretty sure Notre Dame had a long winning streak for a while. 6 or 8 games maybe?

 

[hoopsnloops32]

@Bone Dog I think Dawn would agree she should have won three championships.

It would take sci-fi truth serum to get this out of her because of how it would be received, but if you gave her the magic truth serum, she’d say 2020 was taken by NCAA administrators and 2023 was taken by… other NCAA employees.

Things that are never said in public are sometimes said in closed locker rooms though, and I think that’s one reason this team has appeared to be so incredibly focused from Game 1.

Oh that’s not the take. Not at all. I hope Dawn doesn’t think those things, it’s not a winning mindset.

 

[bballnut90]

Didn‘t Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis have another year of eligibility (though they had to sit a year)? Maybe winning, or not winning, a title could be the deciding factor.

True. Both already sat out a year so they spent 2 years in Columbia, even though each only played 1 season. The 2017 draft was also significantly weaker than 2018 so it made sense for both to go early and get drafted higher, though IIRC, Davis in recent years made some statement alluding to the fact that she wishes she stayed in college the extra year or that it's so hard to stick in the WNBA.

Pao Pao is listed as a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick on most sites I've seen. Assuming that players like Edwards, Cardoso, Clark and Brink all go pro, 2025 looks like a much weaker draft board. Time will tell, I think she'll be a solid pro though.

 

[shiverz45]

She made such a big impression on me, I don't remember her.

Back to the question; after the games at UNC and Duke, I probably would have said no, but they've proven to be pretty good teams. Since SEC play started, the Gamecocks have had little drop off in road games compared to home, especially at A&M. Because of that, I think we'll eke out a win at LSU. LSU has not played much of a schedule, TBH. UCONN has been playing great, lately, but I still don't see them beating the Gamecocks in Columbia.

How about without Cardoso? I think it would level the playing field a little bit.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

How about without Cardoso? I think it would level the playing field a little bit.

It would, but I think Ashlyn can capably fill the role as long as she stays out of foul trouble.

 

[JstVisiting]

Oh that’s not the take. Not at all. I hope Dawn doesn’t think those things, it’s not a winning mindset.

Lol if you don’t think “they’re out to get us!” works as a motivator, I doubt you’ve ever been inside a locker room.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Lol if you don’t think “they’re out to get us!” works as a motivator, I doubt you’ve ever been inside a locker room.

It only works to a point imo. If that is their mindset, the Iowa games makes a lot more sense in hindsight.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Didn‘t Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis have another year of eligibility (though they had to sit a year)? Maybe winning, or not winning, a title could be the deciding factor.

They did.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Pat Summit had two 3 game winning streaks against Geno. Has anybody ever beaten him four times in a row?

Muffett -- if you're wondering why she isn't a favorite around here.

She actually won 7/8.

 

[JstVisiting]

It only works to a point imo. If that is their mindset, the Iowa games makes a lot more sense in hindsight.

I agree it would be a poor strategy to motivate your team for Iowa with “they don’t want us to have it! Remember what they did with Iowa!”

If she can see the future, that would be pretty incredible though.

 

[MilfordHusky]

How is it that SC and LSU play each other only once in the regular season? It seems like a major scheduling faux pas--or a plan to give them the best records possible.