Women: Can South Carolina again run the table in the SEC?
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Michael Voepel, ESPN.com
When SEC play starts Thursday, South Carolina launches a quest to do something achieved only once before in SEC women’s basketball: Go undefeated for a third consecutive league season.
The Gamecocks — who remain at No. 2 in this week’s ESPN women’s college basketball Power Rankings — went 16-0 in the SEC the past two years. All 16 teams are in action Thursday: South Carolina begins conference play at Missouri (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network), and league newcomers Texas and Oklahoma square off (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
No SEC team has defeated South Carolina in the regular season since Missouri, on Dec. 30, 2021, in overtime. The Gamecocks also lost the SEC tournament final that season, to Kentucky, but went on to win the 2022 national championship.
Then in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, the Gamecocks lost just one game total: in the 2023 national semifinals to Iowa, going 74-1 in that stretch. So far in 2024-25, South Carolina is 12-1, the lone loss coming Nov. 24 at UCLA.
The Gamecocks are balanced and deep, with seven players averaging between 11.4 and 7.0 PPG, led by Te-Hina Paopao‘s 11.4 PPG. Chloe Kitts is the top rebounder (7.7 RPG), and Ashlyn Watkins is one of the main anchors of the defense, averaging 2.0 blocks.
This is part of an overarching storyline in women’s college hoops: As good a league as the SEC traditionally has been, South Carolina has ruled the conference for more than a decade under the guidance of coach Dawn Staley. Going back to the 2013-14 season, the Gamecocks are 161-15 in SEC regular-season play. They have won or tied for the league regular-season title eight times in that stretch and won eight SEC tournament titles.
South Carolina has four of the 21 perfect SEC seasons since the league began sponsoring women’s basketball in 1982-83. Nine have been by Tennessee, the only school with three straight undefeated seasons (1993-95, when the league schedule consisted of 11 games). However, none of Tennessee’s eight national championships came in that stretch.
Four of the perfect SEC seasons — two by Georgia and two by Auburn — were from 1986-91, when nine games comprised the league schedule. Over the years, the SEC schedule increased to 11, then 12, then 14. It has been at 16 games since 2010; the only schools to go unbeaten in league play since then are South Carolina, which has done it four times, and Mississippi State and Tennessee, once each.
Now we will see if South Carolina can do it again in a conference that is projected to have 10 teams in the NCAA tournament, according to ESPN’s Charlie Creme. That the Gamecocks have had this much consistent success in a league that provides so many challenges is one of the most impressive things we’ve seen in college sports over the past 10 years.
Previous ranking: 1
The Bruins got Big Ten victories over Nebraska and Michigan at home this past week, as center Lauren Betts returned after sitting out two games with a lower leg injury. She totaled 34 points, 18 rebounds and 6 assists in the two games. Next, the Bruins make their first Big Ten Midwestern road trip, visiting legendary UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden’s home state of Indiana.
Next seven days: @ Indiana (Jan. 4), @ Purdue (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 2
South Carolina’s final pre-SEC tune-up was a 93-47 blowout of Wofford on Sunday in which all 10 Gamecocks who played scored. Freshman forward Joyce Edwards led South Carolina in scoring the past three games.
Next seven days: @ Missouri (Jan. 2), @ Mississippi State (Jan. 5)
Previous ranking: 3
Niele Ivey got her 100th victory as Notre Dame’s head coach, and Olivia Miles had the sixth triple-double of her Irish career in a 95-54 rout of Virginia on Sunday. Miles had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists. The Irish guard power continues to surge, with Hannah Hidalgo (28 points) and Sonia Citron (25 points, 11 rebounds) joining Miles as standouts.
Next seven days: @ North Carolina (Jan. 5)
1:44
Hannah Hidalgo Top Points vs. Virginia Cavaliers
Hannah Hidalgo Top Points vs. Virginia Cavaliers
Previous ranking: 4
JuJu Watkins had a combined 57 points and 11 assists in the Trojans’ victories this past week over Michigan and Nebraska. USC held the Wolverines to 33.3% shooting from the field, and the Huskers to 34.5%. Next up is the Trojans’ first Eastern time zone Big Ten trip.
Next seven days: @ Rutgers (Jan. 5), @ Maryland (Jan. 8)
1:39
JuJu goes off for 31 as USC routs No. 23 Michigan
JuJu Watkins pours in a game-high 31 points as No. 4 USC makes easy work of No. 23 Michigan.
Previous ranking: 5
Since a close call against West Virginia and an overtime loss to Notre Dame in early December, the Longhorns haven’t been tested. That changes this month, with Texas facing ranked foes in six of its nine games in January. Kyla Oldacre, a 6-foot-6 transfer from Miami, could be a big factor for Texas in SEC play. She tied her season high with 21 points in Sunday’s 94-35 victory over UT Rio Grande Valley.
Next seven days: @ Oklahoma (Jan. 2), vs. Arkansas (Jan. 5)
1:57
Highlight: No. 5 Texas defeats UTRGV, extends win streak to six
Kyla Oldacre scores 21 points in 24 minutes of playing time while Madison Booker tallies a season-high seven assists to secure a 94-35 win for the Longhorns vs. the Vaqueros.
Previous ranking:6
The Huskies are coming off victories against Providence and Marquette and move to 3-0 in the Big East, where they could very well run the table. Freshman Sarah Strong has scored in double figures in all 14 of her college games.
Next seven days: @ Villanova (Jan. 5), vs. Xavier (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 8
The Terps had been riding their only win over a ranked team (vs. Duke in November) for a long time. But they added to it with a 72-66 victory over ranked Michigan State on Sunday. Maryland plays two more ranked foes in the next week, plus Rutgers. Maryland’s top scorer, Kaylene Smikle (17.8 PPG), transferred this season from Rutgers.
Next seven days: vs. Rutgers (Jan. 2), @ Iowa (Jan. 5), vs. USC (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 7
The Tigers are undefeated. But the concern is the number of times they have not played well for much of the game and needed a big finish to win. It happened again Sunday against Albany, when LSU led by three points after three quarters. The Tigers outscored the Great Danes 27-8 in the fourth quarter. LSU needs to be sharper in SEC play. Senior Aneesah Morrow is playing well, averaging 18.4 points, 14.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals.
Next seven days: @ Arkansas (Jan. 2), vs. Auburn (Jan. 5)
0:33
Highlight: LSU defeats Albany, ends nonconference play unbeaten
Aneesah Morrow logs her 13th double-double of the season after putting up 20 points and 18 rebounds to help the No. 6 Tigers defeat the Great Danes, 83-61.
Previous ranking: 9
The Sooners have two victories over ranked teams in nonconference play. Now they open their first season in the SEC with two ranked opponents in Texas and Tennessee. Raegan Beers had her sixth double-double in Oklahoma’s 82-64 victory over New Mexico State on Sunday. She is shooting 69.3% from the field, third in Division I.
Next seven days: vs. Texas (Jan. 2), @ Tennessee (Jan. 5)
4:02
Williams, Baranczyk dive into OU improving before conference slate
After a tough win at home against the Aztecs, Sahara Williams and Jennie Baranczyk provide their insight on what the Sooners must refine with SEC play ahead.
Previous ranking: 10
Junior Cotie McMahon had her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Buckeyes beat Rutgers 77-63 on Sunday. Ohio State is one of three Big Ten teams, along with UCLA and Maryland, that is undefeated.
Next seven days: vs. Northwestern (Jan. 5), @ Michigan (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 11
TCU finished nonconference play with a 79-47 win Sunday over Brown, then beat Colorado 63-50 on Wednesday to move to 2-0 in the Big 12. Against the Buffaloes, center Sedona Prince had her sixth double-double of the season (14 points, 10 rebounds), along with a season-high 4 steals.
Next seven days: vs. Cincinnati (Jan. 4), @ Kansas (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 12
The Blue Devils have had a lot of time to sit with their third loss of the season, 65-56 at South Florida on Dec. 21. They will look for a good start in their first two games of the new year before the first big rivalry game, Jan. 9 at North Carolina.
Next seven days: @ Boston College (Jan. 2), vs. Pittsburgh (Jan. 5)
Previous ranking: 13
The Wildcats got a scare for three quarters Wednesday at Houston, which is the Big 12’s cellar dweller. Then, tied 51-51, Kansas State outscored Houston 23-4 in the fourth quarter. Ayoka Lee was one of three Wildcats with 15 points, and Serena Sundell nearly had a triple-double (11 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists). K-State faces no currently ranked teams in January.
Next seven days: vs. Texas Tech (Jan. 4), @ Utah (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 14
Georgia Tech put the hammer down on Pittsburgh 100-61 on Sunday, hitting the century mark in points for the first time in a game since 2015. Junior Kara Dunn led the way with 28 points and seven rebounds, while fellow guard Dani Carnegie had 24 points, the most so far in her exciting freshman season.
Next seven days: vs. Syracuse (Jan. 2)
Previous ranking: 15
The Lady Vols beat Winthrop 114-50 on Sunday, their sixth game this season reaching 100 points or more. Tennessee leads Division I in scoring (98.8 PPG), one of five SEC teams in the top 10 in that category (joining LSU, Texas, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt). We will see whether this level of scoring holds up when the cupcakes are off the menu and conference play begins.
Next seven days: @ Texas A&M (Jan. 2), vs. Oklahoma (Jan. 5)
Previous ranking: 16
The Wildcats finished nonconference play with an 88-70 victory over Western Kentucky on Saturday, in which sophomore center Clara Strack had her sixth double-double of the season. With their lone loss coming to North Carolina, the Wildcats hope they are ready to make some noise in SEC play.
Next seven days: vs. Mississippi State (Jan. 2), vs. Vanderbilt (Jan. 5)
Fell out: None
