Thoughts from South Carolina's win over UCONN

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Yesterday, I attended the women’s basketball game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Connecticut Huskies. Despite leaving my crockpot at home, it was still an enjoyable experience. Sources say that’s because I’m a Gamecocks fan and they won 83-65. Those sources would be correct.

While trying to make it back home to North Charleston in time for the Super Bowl (I did), it occurred to me that not only did I have a lot of thoughts about the game that would fit in quick-hitter fashion, but I also had to perfect place to put those thoughts. Let’s get into it!

Te-Hina Paopao put on another incredible shooting performance, going 5/7 from 3-point range. She appears to be back on track after a mini-slump that saw her hit just 24% of her attempts from distance over a 5-game stretch heading into the Missouri game. She’s always fantastic on catch-and-shoot opportunities but also mixed in some off-the-dribble jumpers against UCONN. If those are falling too, good luck to opposing defenses.

Raven Johnson makes winning basketball plays. During the first half of the January 25th game against LSU, the Tigers’ guards were killing the Gamecocks on the glass. From that 2nd half on, it feels like Raven has set out to never let that happen again. She finished with 12 boards yesterday, which is ridiculous for a point guard.

Speaking of growth, MiLaysia Fulwiley has been a dynamic offensive weapon from the jump but didn’t always bring the same level of focus and effort to the defensive end of the court earlier in the season. To see her go toe-to-toe with Paige Bueckers for several possessions and more than hold her own defensively is a testament to her desire to improve all facets of her game. If South Carolina were not as stacked, she’d be firmly in the National Freshman of the Year conversation.

While Fulwiley found herself on Bueckers a handful of possessions, slowing Paige down was the primary assignment of Bree Hall. She was able to set aside her own offensive struggles to keep Paige under control. It takes an enormous amount of mental toughness to stay locked in on defense when your shot isn’t falling. Imagine having to do that while also guarding one of the nation’s most gifted offensive talents. A gritty and effective performance from Bree.

Paige was defended well, but I can’t help but wonder if she’s still feeling the effects of her injuries mentally. During her freshman NPOY campaign, she made you feel her. There’s no better example than that season’s South Carolina-UCONN matchup, where she led the Huskies to a 63-59 OT victory. Her numbers look even better this season, but something is missing. I’m pulling for her to get it back because there are few players more exciting than Paige when she has that mentality.

As expected, Ashlyn Watkins did an amazing job of filling in for Kamilla Cardoso. Defending, rebounding, and getting some easy buckets in the paint were all expected. What wasn’t was the different dimensions she added to the offense.

Kamilla is a fantastic player. However, she struggles as a screener due to not establishing a strong base when setting her screens. Compare that to Watkins, who seems to cement herself to the floor and swallow up any defender that has the misfortune of running into her. This created advantage after advantage for the Gamecocks offense on Sunday afternoon.

If that wasn’t enough, Watkins also showcased a mid-range jumper that pretty much forced UCONN to throw their defensive game plan away. If that jumper is for real and the rest of her game keeps progressing, opposing fans are going to get sick of my recaps.

With the way Kamilla is officiated, there figures to be at least one game in March where she finds herself on the bench due to foul trouble. Her absence has been a great opportunity to get other post players some experience in big-time games so they’re ready to perform if and when that happens. It’s also good for the team as a whole to learn how to operate without her on the floor.

I also think we’ll get a better Kamilla as a result of her stepping away briefly to play for Brazil’s national team. For whatever reason, she looks so much more confident and aggressive when representing her country. Just ask Satou Sabally. She goes out and dominates against high-level pros. If she brings any of that back to Columbia, who can beat this team?

Let’s not take for granted what we are witnessing in Columbia, SC. Yesterday was a truly amazing experience for me. As a child, I spent entirely too much time reading sports almanacs. One of the first ones I owned featured a huge section about the 1994-’95 UCONN Huskies that went undefeated and won the national championship. Geno Auriemma’s program dominating women’s college basketball is quite literally all I’ve known.

For Dawn Staley to have put together a program in my home state that is looked at as a national powerhouse the same way UCONN was for the majority of my life is something I could have never imagined when I was flipping through those almanacs. To see them take down a UCONN team coached by that very same Geno Auriemma relatively easily (yes, I know, injuries) is wild as hell.

So if you find yourself seated way above where they drop the Chick-fil-A cows at Colonial Life Arena behind a bald, handsome, charismatic man who keeps jumping up in excitement and blocking your view, please accept this apology on behalf of him and his inner, bookworm child.

Okay, that should do it. The Gamecocks are back in action on Thursday against another former powerhouse from my childhood, the Tennessee Volunteers. Check it out at 7:00 pm on ESPN. If you are interested in having your view obstructed by me, I should be at the next home game against Georgia on Sunday.