South Carolina women's basketball: Five Things to Watch - Winthrop

South Carolina hosts a pair of games against local opponents this week, beginning with Winthrop. Here’s what to watch for on Wednesday.

1. Defense

Dawn Staley’s complaints about the Gamecocks’ struggling defense seem like a distant memory, not something that happened 10 days ago.

South Carolina held Clemson without a field goal in the fourth quarter and then limited Southern Cal to 33% shooting and 1-14 from three, completely frustrating the Trojans. I asked Staley what had changed since the first week of the season.

“We’re gaining chemistry,” Staley said. “We’re trusting each other. We created layers to our defense. It wasn’t like you could just drive by and not see anybody. So, less of that, more of connectivity, more of our bigs being active in there. It’s just getting better, more game experiences under us. And we’ll definitely continue to get better.”

2. All-around Joyce

Joyce Edwards led South Carolina in scoring in both games last week and was honored as the SEC Player of the Week for her efforts. She was the best player on the floor in Los Angeles, a game that was full of five-star recruits.

Staley has talked openly and frequently about how she challenged Edwards to be great this season. Edwards has answered the challenge.

“Joyce is finding her footing, and she’s very comfortable with what she’s doing out there on both sides of the ball,” Staley said. “Just like her activity on both sides of the ball, I like her competitiveness and her will to win.”

Edwards has been more assertive in all parts of the game, but her defensive improvement has been the most noticeable.

“It was more of a focus thing, putting my mind on something,” Edwards said. “I’m a really competitive person. I want to really meet my goals. She’s just challenging me so I can be a better overall player.”

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3. Get Latson Going…Still

Latson got into early foul trouble against Southern Cal and never made much of an impact. She scored 12 points on 6-14 shooting, but didn’t attempt a three or a free throw.

The good thing is that, after attempting just eight shots against Clemson, she got 14 attempts. It’s also a positive that 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal is considered a poor showing.

But South Carolina hasn’t seen spectacular Florida State Ta’Niya Latson yet. I might be worried, but Staley isn’t.

“We’ve got a few players who can score the basketball, like, really score the basketball, and they’re in that mode,” she said, naming Edwards, Latson, and Tessa Johnson. “We don’t want them gun-shy, but we certainly want us to reach a place where we’re taking the best shot on the floor. So, I think we’ve got players who can bet on themselves.” 

4. Bench production

Against Southern Cal, Dawn Staley relied heavily on her starters. Only Latson, who picked up two fouls in the first quarter and played 28 minutes, played less than 35 minutes. Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot each played 35 minutes, Tessa Johnson played 36 minutes, and Raven Johnson played 37 minutes. 

Agot Makeer played 17 minutes, but only six in the second half. Maryam Dauda played seven minutes, and Ayla McDowell played just four, all in the first half. 

There are some factors to consider. For example, Dauda was productive, but Okot’s 23-point plus/minus with only two fouls made it hard to take her off the court. Historically, Staley has been willing to play point guards like Ty Harris and Destanni Henderson heavy minutes, and Raven played a great game.

It didn’t matter when it was the only game in a seven-day span. But playing the starting five 86% of the game isn’t going to work next week when the Gamecocks play two games in two days in Las Vegas. 

Maddy McDaniel is the most trusted reserve, but she remains suspended indefinitely. With two games against overmatched opponents this week, Makeer, Dauda, and McDowell should get lots of playing time. They need to prove to Staley that she can trust them next week in Vegas.

“The people coming off the bench are playing better,” Staley said. “In the (Southern Cal) game, it’s all about units. Like, who’s playing well together? I thought our starters were playing well together, and I didn’t want to rock the boat because, in that type of game, the momentum shifts so quickly that you want to make sure that it’s always in striking distance of you being able to pull away or not get too far down to where it creates the momentum for them. But, slowly, we’re getting there.”

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5. Scouting the Eagles

WInthrop lost by 32 at Marquette and then dropped a five-point game at Chicago State to start the season. The Eagles returned home to beat Division II Newberry by nearly 40 and Queens, South Carolina’s next opponent, by 16 points. 

Winthrop was picked to finish fourth in the Big South preseason poll. Amourie Porter was named first team All-Big South. 

So far this season, 5-10 Porter is averaging 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, all team highs. WInthrop’s starters are all 5-9 or 5-10 except for 6-3 Naomi Wilson. The Australian is averaging 6.5 rebounds despite playing just 16.0 minutes per game. 

Against Marquette, the closest thing to South Carolina that Winthrop has played this season, the Eagles shot 32.3%, went 6-20 from three, committed 18 turnovers, and were outrebounded by 20. WInthrop got nine steals and forced 21 turnovers, so South Carolina will have to take care of the ball.

The Ws

Who: #2 South Carolina vs Winthrop (2-2)
When: 7:00 ET, Wednesday, November 19
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC
Watch: SEC Network

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