Game Night - UConn hosts South Carolina 7:00 pm EST

[Carnac]

The No. 3 UConn women’s basketball team faces its biggest test of the season as the Huskies host No. 2 South Carolina on Monday. UConn is 8-1 all-time vs. South Carolina. The Gamecocks won their first game of the series last season, 70-52. The Huskies are coming off an 87-58 win over Marquette last Friday. Paige Bueckers became the first UConn freshman to score 30+ points in back-to-back games and junior Christyn Williams scored 18. This is UConn's annual Pink Game.

South Carolina has won 12 straight games, including a 77-58 win over Auburn last Thursday. Zia Cooke leads the Gamecocks with 15.8 points per game. Aliyah Boston is averaging 14.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. South Carolina ranks second nationally in blocks per game (7.4) and third in rebounds per game (50.31). South Carolina is the third SEC team the Huskies will face this season. UConn notched a 67-61 win over No. 25 Tennessee on Jan. 21 and fell to No. 19 Arkansas, 90-87, on Jan. 28.

Here’s what you need to know about the matchup:

Site: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs
Time: 7 p.m.
Series: UConn leads, 8-1
Last meeting: No. 1 South Carolina 70, No. 5 UConn 52, in Columbia, S.C., Feb. 10, 2020
TV: FS1 (Lisa Byington and Monica McNutt)
Radio: UConn IMG Sports Network on 97.9 ESPN (Bob Joyce & Debbie Fiske)

South Carolina roster - Head coach Dawn Staley (13th year)
Gamecock team notes

UConn roster - Head coach Geno Auriemma (36th year)
Husky game notes
2020-2021 Husky season stats

Injury updates​

• Paige Bueckers is “still struggling” with the ankle injury she sustained at Tennessee while Nika Muhl’s ankle and Evina Westbrook’s knees are both “not 100 percent,” according to Auriemma.
• Christyn Williams is dealing with a sprained ankle that forced her to sit out against St. John’s
• Aubrey Griffin essentially missed UConn’s last two games after knocking knees with a teammate in practice (she tried to go against the Red Storm but played less than two minutes before asking to come out). “[Griffin] said she felt better at Marquette but I didn’t want to rush it back,” Auriemma said. He didn’t say whether or not she’ll play on Monday.
• Aaliyah Edwards took a shot to the face against Marquette and was seen with a bloody mouth on the sideline. Luckily, it looked worse than it actually was. “I’m good. Nothing major, no fracture anything,” she said. “I just got hit in the mouth pretty good but I’m getting ready for tomorrow.”
• Anna Makurat - There’s still no further update on her. She has sat out the last five games with a lower right leg issue. Her status remains: out indefinitely.

No. 2 UConn women’s basketball vs. No. 1 South Carolina: time, how to watch, broadcasters, preview

It won’t be the matchup in front of a packed, raucous Gampel Pavilion crowd as originally intended, but Monday’s UConn-South Carolina game is shaping up to be a showdown of epic proport…

www.courant.com

BIG East Conference Standings

Husky bites
Paige Bueckers was selected as both the BIG EAST Player and Freshman of the Week, as announced by the conference Monday. Bueckers reached the 30-point mark in both wins for the third-ranked Huskies last week, tallying 32 points off 13-of-20 shooting in Wednesday's win against St. John's before scoring a game-high 32 in Friday's win at Marquette. She was 12-of-18 from the field against the Golden Eagles to tally a .658 shooting clip for the week, including an 11-of-15 (.733) mark from three.
They’re hitting their stride:’ UConn women have their hands full with South Carolina, but they’re not the same team that lost to Arkansas two weeks ago - Alexa Phillipou
Nelson-Ododa ready for test with South Carolina - Doug Bonjour
Huskies can't lose middle ground - Carl Adamec
The entire NCAA women's tournament will be held in the San Antonio area - Mechelle Voepel

On deck: Seton Hall Wednesday Feb 10 @ Gampel Pavilion 6:30 pm EST SNY