A Perennial Power
South Carolina women’s basketball had been a national power for more than a decade under head coach Dawn Staley, including six 30-win seasons in the last nine campaigns. The Gamecocks have played in five Final Fours in the last eight NCAA Tournaments, including winning the 2017 and 2022 National Championships. They have been ranked in every AP Poll since Dec. 10, 2012, including a top-10 spot every week since the start of the 2019-20 season. The Gamecocks have amassed 76 AP No. 1 rankings all-time, the fourth-most by a program in the history of that poll (3rd is La. Tech, 83).
Under head coach Dawn Staley’s leadership, nine Gamecocks have earned All-America status, three have earned SEC Player of the Year honors and 19 have picked up All-SEC recognition at least once. In the last nine seasons, 14 Gamecocks have been selected in the WNBA Draft, including 10 first-round picks, highlighted by two No. 1 overall picks in the last six years. Three Gamecocks have been named WNBA Rookie of the Year and one is a two-time WNBA MVP and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Opponent Files
South Carolina’s regular-season schedule includes six games against teams ranked at the time of the game or in at least one of the two national polls this week, including five in non-conference action. Four of those games came in the first five weeks of the season – against #10/10 Notre Dame (W, 100-71), #14/11 Maryland (W, 114-76), at #24/24 North Carolina (W, 65-58), against #11/7 Utah (78-69). South Carolina later added a win at SEC rival #9/9 LSU (W, 76-70).
The Gamecocks’ schedule is ranked the 25th toughest in the nation with opponents posting a .630 winning percentage. South Carolina’s NET non-conference strength of schedule is 12th, and its average opponent NET ranking is 21st. The Gamecocks’ nine wins against NET top-50 teams are tied for the most in the country.
Looking ahead, South Carolina has one more game against a team currently ranked in both national polls – against #11/9 UConn (Feb. 11).
