South Carolina women’s basketball: The 3-2-1 – Clutch players, burning questions, and the best play from week 2
South Carolina finally got a couple of home games last week. We look at three clutch players, two burning questions, and my favorite play of the week. Banner unveilings don’t count.
Three Clutch Performers
1. Chloe Kitts
Vs Coppin State: 21 minutes, 19 points,10 rebounds, 2 assists, steal
Vs ECU: 18 minutes, 14 points, seven rebounds, assist, 2 steals
Who thought Kitts would be South Carolina’s leading scorer (17.3) and rebounder (10.3) two weeks into the season? Kitts plays hard on every possession and drags her teammates with her when they don’t. Kitts may not keep this up all season, but she’s fantastic right now.
2. MiLaysia Fulwiley
Vs Coppin State: 24 minutes, 23 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Vs ECU: 22 minutes, 12 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, steal
Fulwiley was spectacular against Coppin State, let’s not forget about that. But I was more impressed by how she played against East Carolina. She didn’t shoot particularly well and never quite got into a rhythm. But Fulwiley continued to play hard, set up her teammates, and defended well. It was a mature game in which she took on a productive supporting role instead of disappearing. She started to play this way at the end of last season, on its the next step in Fulwiley becoming an elite player.
3. Maddy McDaniel
Vs Coppin State: 16 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, turnover
Vs ECU: 19 minutes, 3 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists (team-high), 4 steals (team-high), turnover
Not much was expected from McDaniel this season, and if Tessa Johnson hadn’t missed the last two games McDaniel probably wouldn’t have played until the fourth quarter. But she got her chance and made the most of it. McDaniel looks smooth, smart, and confident, and she has made a strong case for more playing time even after Johnson returns.
Two Burning Questions
1. Has South Carolina hit its stride?
The Gamecocks won their first three games but didn’t look like a well-oiled machine in the process. There were some hiccups against the Pirates, but for the first time this season, they looked like the team everyone expects to go to the Final Four again.
2. Does South Carolina have enough of a post presence to counter Lauren Betts (and Janiah Barker, and Timea Gardiner, and Angela Dugalić)?
I’ll have a more detailed look at the matchup later, but this is the key storyline for this weekend’s showdown in Westwood. When was the last time South Carolina was worried about matching the other team in the post? Maybe the 2018-19 tweener season. UCLA has Betts (21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds), who has been one of the best players in the country so far this season. UCLA also has post depth with Barker (11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds), Gardiner (14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds), and Dugalić (9.0 points and 9.0 rebounds). South Carolina has a lot of different players Dawn Staley can throw at the Bruins, but will it be enough?
One Favorite Play
This was reminiscent of the 2020 SEC championship game. Ye-Hina Paopao needed two dribbles to control the steal, but then the basketball went from the opposing three-point line to a layup without touching the floor. That’s a beautiful job of running the break and sharing the ball – Chef’s kiss.
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