South Carolina women's basketball: Five Things to Watch - Texas A&M
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1. Paopao on coming back
Senior transfer guard Te-Hina Paopao announced on social media on Monday that she will return to South Carolina next season for her optional fifth year. Paopao leads the nation in three-point shooting and was named second-team All-SEC.
Paopao, who participated in senior day festivities the day before her announcement, didn’t nail down exactly when she made the decision, but Dawn Staley said it was three or four weeks ago.
“I thought the video was a special type of coming out,” Paopao said. “I definitely wanted to do it before the SEC tournament and the dance so I could just lock in on the games and focus on what we need to do.”
Paopao said she felt loved and accepted by the Gamecocks from day one and didn’t want to give that up. She also hopes to improve her WNBA draft stock with another season.
“It’s a big deal for our program,” Staley said. “For Pao and her family to feel they want to extend her college career to prepare a little bit better for the WNBA.”
2. We’re talking about practice
South Carolina had Monday and Tuesday off before returning to practice on Wednesday. Staley described the practice as energetic, an unusually positive analysis.
This season Staley has frequently commented on the Gamecocks’s poor practice habits, describing it as a “daycare” last week. The coaches have figured out how to meet the players halfway and get enough done in practice to be successful in games.
“You can’t fight who they are,” Staley said. “You’ve just got to figure out how you can integrate what they’re going to give us.”
The good news is that there won’t be any more practices, just walkthroughs and games. That seems to play into the Gamecocks’ hands, but Paopao insisted the bad practices aren’t as bad as Staley claims.
“Those practices actually help us because we know we didn’t perform up to par and we know how as a team we can perform. When we have those type of practices it’s like we’ve got to come back better the next day,” Paopao said. “We may not know how to practice but we know that we’re going to lock in (for) the game.”
3. Tournament success
South Carolina is seeking its eighth SEC Tournament title and fourth in five years. There are a few reasons for South Carolina’s tournament success: the emphasis Staley puts on winning, the overall talent, and depth.
Winning three games in three days is exhausting. The one tournament the Gamecock lost was the one where the starters logged heavy minutes on Friday and Saturday and were thus extra tired on Sunday. That’s why making quick work of Texas A&M could have major implications on Sunday.
“Depth is way, way, way, way, way important in making that run. Even an SEC Tournament Championship, it takes that,” Staley said. “If you have to play 35, 36, 38 minutes for three games, it’s hard to win a championship.”
This weekend is the first time most of these Gamecocks will have to worry about logging heavy minutes. Even Paopao joked she’ll be learning this weekend.
“I’m usually out in the first round.” Paopao said. “We’re all going to experience this together.”
4. Sendoff
FAMs already in Greenville on Friday morning are invited to a team sendoff at the team hotel. FAMs are invited to gather on the turf outside of the Grand Bohemian Lodge at 9:45 am. The Grand Bohemian Lodge is located at 44 East Camperdown Way in downtown Greenville.
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5. Scouting the Aggies
The big news for Texas A&M is that point guard Endyia Rogers, who had been sidelined for almost a month with a knee injury, returned to action on Thursday. Rogers only played 16 minutes, but scored 12 points and grabbed two rebounds.
Texas A&M lost five of six games to end the season and went from a tournament lock to a bubble team. Rogers’ return gives the Aggies some reason for optimism.
A win would be a huge boost for the Aggies, but that’s a long shot. The Gamecocks won 99-64 in College Station in January. MiLaysia Fulwiley scored a career-high 21 points in that game. South Carolina sprinted out to a 25-8 first-quarter lead but only outscored Texas A&M by four points in the second half.
The Ws
Who: #1 South Carolina (29-0) vs #9 Texas A&M (19-11)
When: Noon ET, Friday, March 8
Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
Watch: SEC Network
