Arguably, the most anticipated non-conference rivalry resumes on Sunday afternoon in Columbia, SC. Geno Auriemma, his 1,200 wins and No. 11 UConn (20-4) meet Dawn Staley, No. 1 South Carolina (22-0) and their undefeated record at 2 p.m. ET (ESPN).
It will be the 14th meeting between the two programs, although the first game, a UConn win in Dec. 2007, came before Staley took over South Carolina. Even after Staley’s arrival, Auriemma and the Huskies got the best of the Gamecocks, winning the first eight games in the series.
Of late, South Carolina has taken control of the rivalry, winning four of the last five meetings and three in row. UConn’s only recent win was in Feb. 2021, when then-freshman Paige Bueckers was masterful, scoring 31 points to lead the Huskies to a four-point overtime win in Storrs. South Carolina, of course, defeated UConn in the 2022 national championship game. Last season, Aliyah Boston, with a season-high 26 points and 11 rebounds, powered the Gamecocks to a four-point road win.
A South Carolina-UConn game full of fresher faces
Sunday’s affair, however, primarily will involve players who have not featured prominently in recent matchups. Yes, Bueckers will be expected to lead the Huskies, alongside seniors Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Mühl. Last year, Edwards nearly matched Boston, scoring 25 points. Outside of that trio, it will be new faces for UConn, headlined by freshman guards KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade, both of whom have been elevated into starting, high-minute roles for the injury-ravaged Huskies.
The same is true for South Carolina, particularly due to the absence of senior center Kamilla Cardoso. Cardoso currently is with the Brazilian national team, representing her home country at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belém, Brazil. Last season, Cardoso gave the Gamecocks a double-double off the bench, with 17 points and 11 boards in 22 minutes. Sophomore guard Raven Johnson also was a key contributor in last year’s contest, with 14 points and seven assists in 36 minutes. Otherwise, the only current Gamecock who saw time was junior guard Bree Hall in a scant four minutes.
Expect Hall’s importance to the action to exponentially increase on Sunday afternoon. Now equipped with a deadly 3-point shot to go along with her ever-steady defense, Hall is a good bet to make momentum-swinging plays on Sunday. What other players from both sides—whether those well-versed in this rivalry or new to the…
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