No. 3 South Carolina is set to conclude a busy week with a high-profile women’s basketball matchup on Sunday, hosting No. 19 Tennessee at Colonial Life Arena. The game will begin at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on ABC.
Fans attending the game are encouraged to participate in the USC Veterans Alumni Council Give Back Game by donating diapers (sizes 0-4) and wipes, which will support local NICU and Veterans Maternity Health Care programs. Donations can be made outside the arena. Free parking and shuttle services from Founders Park will be available from 1 to 6 p.m., and doors open at 2 p.m., or 1:30 p.m. for Fast Break Pass holders. Additionally, the first 5,000 fans will receive a “The House That Dawn Staley Built” t-shirt.
South Carolina enters the game with a strong record against ranked opponents this season, going 5-2 so far, including several victories away from home. Head coach Dawn Staley leads the team, with Joyce Edwards as top scorer (20.4 points per game) and Madina Okot as top rebounder (10 rebounds per game). For Tennessee, head coach Kim Caldwell’s squad features Talaysia Cooper as their leading scorer (14.4 points per game) and Janiah Barker as top rebounder (6.9).
The Gamecocks’ offense has been notable for its efficiency this year, shooting 51.1 percent overall—fourth best nationally—and holding opponents to a field goal percentage of .335, also among the top four in the country. In SEC play, they are shooting 46.4 percent while limiting conference opponents to an SEC-best 36.3 percent shooting rate.
At home, South Carolina averages just over 81 points per game while holding visitors to fewer than 57 points on average—a stronger defensive performance compared to their road games.
The team has faced challenges with player availability this season; only ten games have featured their full roster, and in half of their SEC contests they have played without at least one starter.
Guards Raven Johnson and Maddy McDaniel have provided stability on offense, ranking second and third respectively in the SEC for assist-to-turnover ratio during league play. Johnson’s national assist-to-turnover ratio stands at fourth overall for the season.
Joyce Edwards recently became the fifth-fastest player in program history to reach 1,000 career points—achieving this milestone in her 64th game—and currently ranks among the nation’s top scorers this season.
Senior Madina Okot has improved her offensive output over recent games while also contributing defensively with increased steals and blocks.
Senior Raven Johnson is posting career-high numbers across multiple categories this year; she has averaged nearly ten points per game on almost fifty percent shooting from the field and is producing even higher numbers against ranked teams.
Historically, South Carolina trails Tennessee in all-time meetings but has won eight straight games in this series under Coach Staley since taking over in 2008-09. The last three matchups between these teams were decided by single digits.
South Carolina’s success against ranked opponents under Coach Staley includes a record of .652 since her tenure began; that number rises significantly since the start of the 2014-15 season (.782), including a .881 mark since the beginning of the 2021-22 campaign when facing ranked competition.
Inside scoring remains a key part of South Carolina’s approach—they generate more than half their total points from inside the paint and outscore opponents there by an average margin exceeding twenty-four points per game.
