Gamecocks 2021

[Sched234]

Everything about Beal’s shooting motion seems unnatural to me... from the actual motion itself to the speed of her shot. I personally think she needs to work on the actual mechanics ... but then I’ll hear Dawn say she has a “good shot”...

So I’m confused once more haha, but not for long because I’m leaving it to the expert, Dawn.

Hall seems to have a solid all around game. A utility player.. she’s gonna give you length on the perimeter without handicapping you on offense, and right now I think she’s more of a natural scorer than Beal. She’s more aggressive at hunting her shot than Beal I think. When Beal is aggressive she’s REALLY good, but then she misses a few and loses confidence.. that’s when the opposing defense sags off of her because they know she’s no longer gonna shoot or slash to the basket.

Yeah, I don’t want to say Beal has underperformed because she does so many things very well (her rebounding in particular is underrated to me), but she hasn’t emerged as much of a scorer and that’s what SC needs most nights.

There are issues for this Carolina team. Not a ton of dependable options. The incoming recruiting class is by all accounts far better than last year’s (which was pretty damn good), so even with Fudd at Connecticut I could see SC pushing for the national title next year. This year as well, but it feels like more of an outside shot.

 

[SCspur]

I feel like Hall might be a more natural scorer than Beal has turned out to be. Do you agree with that?

Yes. Hall can score from 3, midrange and attack off the dribble. She also has a very good handle at her size so she will be useful all over.

 

[SCGamecock]

Yeah, I don’t want to say Beal has underperformed because she does so many things very well (her rebounding in particular is underrated to me), but she hasn’t emerged as much of a scorer and that’s what SC needs most nights.

There are issues for this Carolina team. Not a ton of dependable options. The incoming recruiting class is by all accounts far better than last year’s (which was pretty damn good), so even with Fudd at Connecticut I could see SC pushing for the national title next year. This year as well, but it feels like more of an outside shot.

I would never count this team out because they've been inconsistent all year.. really bad when they're bad and really good when they're good. At times they've looked like the best team in the country and other times Sweet 16 at best... so I just don't know what I'm going to get when they suit up. I will say that they've been trending upwards since the tournament, which is when you want to be playing your best ball. I wouldn't be surprised if they won it all or if they were bounced early.

It's early, but I'm expecting a Final Four at the least next year and the year after. 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 might be some of the strongest Gamecock WBB teams ever.

2021-2022
Victaria Saxton
Destanni Henderson
Destiny Littleton
Elysa Wesolek

Aliyah Boston
Zia Cooke
Laeticia Amihere
Brea Beal
Olivia Thompson

Eniya Russell

Raven Johnson
Sania Feagin
Saniya Rivers
Bree Hall


2022-2023
Aliyah Boston
Zia Cooke
Laeticia Amihere
Brea Beal
Olivia Thompson

Eniya Russell

Raven Johnson
Sania Feagin
Saniya Rivers
Bree Hall

Freshman
Freshman
Freshman

 

[JDuro]

 

[visitingcock]

so, my feathered brethren and sistren:

At haltime of the season, what was your minimum expectation for this year? Not talking about pre-season when we (in our minds) still had Kiki and Ty. I'm talking about mid-season following the UConn loss.

At that time, I still thought of us as an F4 team. Tennessee and TAMU kinda dropped me to an Elite 8 hopeful but the SEC Tourney restored me.

I consider the season a bare success at this point, but want much much more. Gimmee' gravy!

 

[Gamecockfan77]

so, my feathered brethren and sistren:

At haltime of the season, what was your minimum expectation for this year? Not talking about pre-season when we (in our minds) still had Kiki and Ty. I'm talking about mid-season following the UConn loss.

At that time, I still thought of us as an F4 team. Tennessee and TAMU kinda dropped me to an Elite 8 hopeful but the SEC Tourney restored me.

I consider the season a bare success at this point, but want much much more. Gimmee' gravy!

I didn't really worry about the team much until they lost to Tennessee so badly. Following that up with the TAMU loss, it seemed fair to wonder if an early exit might be in the cards.

Still, heading into the tournament I thought Sweet 16 would be meeting minimum expectations, Final Four would be an unqualified success, Championship was possible.

I think they've got a good shot vs Stanford. Stanford easily has more depth and offensive orientation, but I don't think that the matchup is so bad. I think South Carolina probably should control the boards as I think they're bigger and stronger, if not always taller. That will be something I'm curious to see play out.

 

[ConwayGmck]

I didn't really worry about the team much until they lost to Tennessee so badly. Following that up with the TAMU loss, it seemed fair to wonder if an early exit might be in the cards.

Still, heading into the tournament I thought Sweet 16 would be meeting minimum expectations, Final Four would be an unqualified success, Championship was possible.

I think they've got a good shot vs Stanford. Stanford easily has more depth and offensive orientation, but I don't think that the matchup is so bad. I think South Carolina probably should control the boards as I think they're bigger and stronger, if not always taller. That will be something I'm curious to see play out.

Same to a degree - early in the season the team wasn't "stepping up" like I expected them after last season. Boston seemed to regress a bit shooting the ball, and overall the team looked a bit leaderless in bigger games like the NC St. one. So I was thinking they'd have to improve substantially to be a solid FF level team.

The CT loss like you state didn't faze me as I felt we did NOT play to our capabilities, and it took Bueckers going off on a season game just to get the game into overtime and barely beat us - the non-calls at the end of regulation on Boston's layups, and Henderson having STILL her worst game of the season kept us from winning more than CT did IMO.

But again as you stated, the losses to Tennessee and Texas A&M where those teams were allowed to take their games at us and play with more heart made me wonder if we'd get past the Sweet Sixteen. I still don't think we have a bonafide leader on the team - they are playing more for each other then having any one or two top player guide and lead the team. Fortunately that's been good enough to get us to the Final Four just the same.

I was thinking coming into the NCAAT that Elite Eight was pretty assured, and looking at our draw the MD game would be the tough one, but still felt we could disrupt their offense (much like how Texas disrupted it), unless they went off on an untouchable offensive zone. If they started raining down 3-ptrs that could've finished us. But thank Texas for dispatching them before we had to.

Stanford is more of a balanced team than Maryland is - they have the size and can play half-court defense as well as have a strong offense. We're going to have to have one of our best games yet in the tournament....

 

[JDuro]

so, my feathered brethren and sistren:

At haltime of the season, what was your minimum expectation for this year? Not talking about pre-season when we (in our minds) still had Kiki and Ty. I'm talking about mid-season following the UConn loss.

At that time, I still thought of us as an F4 team. Tennessee and TAMU kinda dropped me to an Elite 8 hopeful but the SEC Tourney restored me.

I consider the season a bare success at this point, but want much much more. Gimmee' gravy!

After TAMU, and given how pathetically they played in the big matchups that resulted in the 4 losses, I felt this was a Sweet 16 team that could possibly get through to the Elite 8, but that would be this team’s ceiling.

A switch has definitely turned on for this team this postseason. They’re playing a much more efficient and confident game on offense. If they keep that up, I now see a team that can win it all. Neither Stanford or UConn scares me. They’re beatable. I don’t count out Arizona getting to the final. It would be surprising but not shocking.

I’m not concerned with depth. Fatigue hasn’t been a problem this season and Dawn has directed a 7 player rotation to a national championship, there’s no reason to think she can‘t do it again. Should be an interesting Final Four.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Same to a degree - early in the season the team wasn't "stepping up" like I expected them after last season. Boston seemed to regress a bit shooting the ball, and overall the team looked a bit leaderless in bigger games like the NC St. one. So I was thinking they'd have to improve substantially to be a solid FF level team.

The CT loss like you state didn't faze me as I felt we did NOT play to our capabilities, and it took Bueckers going off on a season game just to get the game into overtime and barely beat us - the non-calls at the end of regulation on Boston's layups, and Henderson having STILL her worst game of the season kept us from winning more than CT did IMO.

But again as you stated, the losses to Tennessee and Texas A&M where those teams were allowed to take their games at us and play with more heart made me wonder if we'd get past the Sweet Sixteen. I still don't think we have a bonafide leader on the team - they are playing more for each other then having any one or two top player guide and lead the team. Fortunately that's been good enough to get us to the Final Four just the same.

I was thinking coming into the NCAAT that Elite Eight was pretty assured, and looking at our draw the MD game would be the tough one, but still felt we could disrupt their offense (much like how Texas disrupted it), unless they went off on an untouchable offensive zone. If they started raining down 3-ptrs that could've finished us. But thank Texas for dispatching them before we had to.

Stanford is more of a balanced team than Maryland is - they have the size and can play half-court defense as well as have a strong offense. We're going to have to have one of our best games yet in the tournament....

I think Stanford is a supremely confident team that plays very fast. I think they have good reason to be confident.

I thought watching Louisville take the big lead that it didn't really make sense based on the matchup. Louisville was smaller and slower and less talented, but they were getting open shots and Stanford was forcing bad ones.

So I'm curious what will happen when Stanford faces a bigger, faster, better defending team. Will they force bad shots or will they find good ones?

It's just hard to know how these things are going to look until you see them.

I'd like to know what it is about Colorado and Oregon that gave them trouble this year. I kind of would guess that Colorado probably plays slow. I didn't see their matchups against Oregon, but there is obviously some size and talent there.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

After TAMU, and given how pathetically they played in the big matchups that resulted in the 4 losses, I felt this was a Sweet 16 team that could possibly get through to the Elite 8, but that would be this team’s ceiling.

A switch has definitely turned on for this team for this postseason. They’re playing much more efficient and confident game on offense. If they keep that up, I now see a team that can win it all. Neither Stanford or UConn scares me. They’re beatable. I don’t count out Arizona getting to the final. It would be surprising but not shocking.

I’m not concerned with depth. Fatigue hasn’t been a problem this season and Dawn has directed a 7 player rotation to a national championship, there’s no reason to think she can‘t do it again. Should be an interesting Final Four.

I think because you've seen more offense run through the 4, you've got four of the five positions scoring. That helps Cooke make wiser decisions. Also, I do think losses sometimes help you adjust. Coach says the team listens and wants to win more than anything else. So that's helpful.

It has hardly been an offensive explosion in the tournament, but I'm not sure South Carolina needs to have one to beat anybody.

We heard so much about Maryland and they barely cracked 60 vs Texas. Dawn's probably a better defensive coach than Vic, though she doesn't generally get a whole lot of credit for it.

So have a good game against Stanford and then you probably face a team you held to 54 with three point blank looks to win on the road or you face a small team heavily dependent on one not always efficient scorer. It's doable.

 

[JonathanXIV]

I think the South Carolina/Stanford game is easily the most interesting of the possible Final Four matchups. The two teams are just so different in styles and strengths. It's going to be really interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I think the South Carolina/Stanford game is easily the most interesting of the possible Final Four matchups. The two teams are just so different in styles and strengths. It's going to be really interesting to see how it plays out.

I can see a lot of different ways it could go.

I probably need help understanding Arizona's chances.

 

[cancontent]

What are everyone's thoughts on bench depth? Stanford can go beyond 7 players if they need to. I don't think I've seen SC go beyond that.

Could foul trouble be a possible area that we need to watch for? Amihere picked up 3 quickly yesterday but was able to stay in the game. Not sure if SC has the same luxury in comparison to Stanford where they were able to being in Precthel for Brink while, they had the second Hull sister and Jerome available if need be.

 

[SCGamecock]

I think SC is playing with house money at this point. Very few people outside of Gamecock fans expected us here, and even a lot of them were skeptical at times, myself being one of them. Very few people still expect us to win the title. Alas, here we are. Stanford is the favorite, UConn is the hot team with the hot player and Arizona is the Cinderella. SC is kinda just chilling in the background for now.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Any team with Dawn at the helm isn’t “in the background.”

 

[TC22]

One thing to watch is how physical the officials allow play to get. If they let the big girls play that’s to our advantage. We are big and we are physical. Our bigs have to play smart though. They can’t get those tricky tack fouls that sit them down for stretches. I don’t think our lack of bench depth hurts unless we get into big time foul trouble. The styles of play are night and day difference. I think we will play them a lot like we do any 3 point shooting team, running them off the 3 point line like Arkansas and Oregon State. Amihere will be the difference in this game on defense. She can defend on the perimeter and alter shots. It will be close, but I think we can beat Stanford.

 

[azfan]

One thing to watch is how physical the officials allow play to get. If they let the big girls play that’s to our advantage. We are big and we are physical. Our bigs have to play smart though. They can’t get those tricky tack fouls that sit them down for stretches. I don’t think our lack of bench depth hurts unless we get into big time foul trouble. The styles of play are night and day difference. I think we will play them a lot like we do any 3 point shooting team, running them off the 3 point line like Arkansas and Oregon State. Amihere will be the difference in this game on defense. She can defend on the perimeter and alter shots. It will be close, but I think we can beat Stanford.

I agree. If the officials allow contact and let both teams play advantage Gamecocks. The defensive performance of South Carolina in this tournament has been amazing. If the Cardinal get down 14 to the Gamecocks I can't imagine anyway they would be able to rally.

I'm going to be watching Boston on both sides of the court. I think she'll dominate the paint and if they run the offense through her Stanford is going to have problems.

 

[DefenseBB]

I have to chuckle at some of the criticism being tossed at SC, I mean the team EARNED the #1 seed, won their region in convincing fashion and is at the Final Four. They did exactly what they were expected to do. The team can occasionally go into scoring droughts but their defense is almost always spot on. This is a very good team. To state anything else is simply denying what they have achieved. At the beginning of the year Stanford, UConn and SC were considered constants for the title and lo and behold, all three are here. This should be a great game. I am rooting for Stanford but I have to say Aaliyah Boston is a well spoken young lady who I have been impressed with and Beal has also shown me some skills this year. Which Cooke shows up will be key. Stanford, when playing well, moves the ball extremely well, has Hull and Jones as slashers and Williams, Wilson and Jump as their outside threat. Heck even Brink and Prectal take 3 pointers. Get the popcorn ready and root for 3 OT game with all the starters playing 55 minutes of banging, run up and down basketball...

 

[visitingcock]

I have to chuckle at some of the criticism being tossed at SC, . . .

. Get the popcorn ready and root for 3 OT game with all the starters playing 55 minutes of banging, run up and down basketball...

My Heart won't take 1 overtime - much less 3.

 

[SCGamecock]

I agree. If the officials allow contact and let both teams play advantage Gamecocks. The defensive performance of South Carolina in this tournament has been amazing. If the Cardinal get down 14 to the Gamecocks I can't imagine anyway they would be able to rally.

I'm going to be watching Boston on both sides of the court. I think she'll dominate the paint and if they run the offense through her Stanford is going to have problems.

Brink does not want to get into a post battle with Boston. I can see Brink facing the basket more than usual. If Boston just stands with her hands up and body perpendicular, it’s gonna take post moves for Brink to be effective on the block because she’s not going to overpower Boston. I think Tara will counter with playing Prechtel (sp?) a lot more than usual...

A physical game benefits SC. Stanford wants to play pretty. SC needs to be mean on the perimeter and continuing contesting every shot like they did in that Texas game.

 

[JDuro]

 

[JDuro]

 

[Childhood]

Is there any fans message board for Gamecock? Want to see some analysis betwwen the stanford team

 

[JDuro]

 

[JDuro]

And the reason Raven isn’t participating in The Who’s Nxt? AA game is b/c she will, at almost the same time, be playing in the Geico Nationals with her Westlake High teammates. Catch Westlake’s semi at 12:30 on ESPNU with the Final on Saturday at 10 AM on ESPN2 should they win.