Gamecocks basketball, 2023 part I (merged thread) | The Boneyard

Gamecocks basketball, 2023 part I (merged thread)

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"...was Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks basketball squad, which lost only once during the entire calendar year3and won its March Madness games by an average margin of 23.3 points per game (including a 15-point win over UConn in the final)."

Interresting: Rarely was the South Carolina team discussed this particular way despite wire to wire #1. I don't even really think of it that way in those terms though I often think about how dominant defensively and on the boards they were.
 
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Gamecockfan77 said:
"...was Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks basketball squad, which lost only once during the entire calendar year3and won its March Madness games by an average margin of 23.3 points per game (including a 15-point win over UConn in the final)."

Interresting: Rarely was the South Carolina team discussed this particular way despite wire to wire #1. I don't even really think of it that way in those terms I often think about how dominant defensively and on the boards they were.
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It’s because of the way they won. Rarely is defensive dominance seen in the same fashion as offensive dominance - nonetheless, as this article proves, last year’s team was a dominant machine on its own merits.
 
I'm going to watch the SC-Georgia game with interest today just to see how Dawn's players deal with a Coach Abe team. I expect a blowout, but the potential for misbehavior from the Georgia side is high.
 
SC is down 3 at the half to Georgia 29-26. Could this be the day SC falls from the ranks of the unbeaten? :eek:
 
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SC is going to win, that's clear with 2 minutes to go. It's also clear that SC is vulnerable at the guard positions and can be pressed effectively. Cooke scored 28 points, but other than that, she and Fletcher and Hall and Johnson are just not able to respond to pressure. I'm surprised Dawn didn't use Amihere more, since she's better at breaking the press than her guard rotation seems to be.
 
Bone Dog said:
SC is going to win, that's clear with 2 minutes to go. It's also clear that SC is vulnerable at the guard positions and can be pressed effectively. Cooke scored 28 points, but other than that, she and Fletcher and Hall and Johnson are just not able to respond to pressure. I'm surprised Dawn didn't use Amihere more, since she's better at breaking the press than her guard rotation seems to be.
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Amihere has a pretty terrible handle though.
 
SoCar wins 68-51 and I am guessing that it has to have been one of Boston’s worst games, 4 points, 5 rebounds and 3 PFs. At the moment I have no idea how many minutes she played.
 
Bone Dog said:
SC is going to win, that's clear with 2 minutes to go. It's also clear that SC is vulnerable at the guard positions and can be pressed effectively. Cooke scored 28 points, but other than that, she and Fletcher and Hall and Johnson are just not able to respond to pressure. I'm surprised Dawn didn't use Amihere more, since she's better at breaking the press than her guard rotation seems to be.
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Other than scoring 31 points she was was unable to respond to the pressure. Fair enough.

I am dying to know how Seton Hall got into the 80s against this scheme. Big three point night?

Last year Tennessee put up 69.

68 by Carolina tonight is the next highest point total against her defenses these two seasons.

Biggest concern I have about SC is that they've had off rebounding nights which really didn't happen last year. That's how they will get upset.
 
Gamecockfan77 said:
Other than scoring 31 points she was was unable to respond to the pressure. Fair enough.

I am dying to know how Seton Hall got into the 80s against this scheme. Big three point night?

Last year Tennessee put up 69.

68 by Carolina tonight is the next highest point total against her defenses these two seasons.

Biggest concern I have about SC is that they've had off rebounding nights which really didn't happen last year. That's how they will get upset.
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Seton hall shot 59% overall and made 10-20 from 3.
 
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Gamecockfan77 said:
Other than scoring 31 points she was was unable to respond to the pressure. Fair enough.
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Yup. Cooke scored really well, perhaps her best game of the season. But the SCar back court didn't manage the pressure well. Georgia wasn't the team to capitalize on this. But Ohio St. is such a team. Guard play is the only real question mark about SCar, otherwise they're pretty much invulnerable. On the plus side, SCar played great D all game long, and in the second half it was smothering.

Gamecockfan77 said:
I am dying to know how Seton Hall got into the 80s against this scheme. Big three point night?
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Lauren Park-Lane, that's how, along with Wright and Hagans -- a trio of little guards. And they did it even losing the rebounding battle 21-35. They shot 10-20 from 3, but Georgia shot 8-15. But they also shot 58% fg. Park-Lane is totally capable of games like that.

Gamecockfan77 said:
68 by Carolina tonight is the next highest point total against her defenses these two seasons.
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This is Coach Abe's first year at Georgia. She was at UCF last season.
 
That was a pretty interesting game. Georgia and that match-up zone made things tough in the paint for Boston and Cardoso. Georgia was packing it around those and made sure they had to work to get points in the paint. Boston can knock down the 15-18 foot shot just not tonight.

I liked how South Carolina, as the game progressed, started to shoot better. That first quarter when it was 11-13, I was thinking that this was going to be a long game and it was. Not because of the shooting but because of the tie ups and foul calls.

Great win by South Carolina. It was not pretty but a win is a win. Up next, Auburn.
 
Game Summary/Headlines if You Missed SC vs GA.

Cooke...Bakes Georgia

Battles..Surrenders
 
Just watching a replay of the game and one thing I notice is the refs aren't whistling the usual touch fouls on drives. Personally, I think this is an improvement in the game. Too many guards drive into the lane hoping to get a touch foul called and to foul out the opposing bigs. Part of the problem Battles had in this game is she didn't get those calls that she's relied on in previous seasons. I hope this represents a new policy across D1.
 
Also, a classic moment for any Coach Abe team: halfway through the 4th quarter with the game slipping away, Boston and Fletcher trap Battles with a high hedge. She jumps up to try to pass over them and naturally falls down from some minimal contact by Fletcher and the whistle is blown. Boston reaches down to help Battles up and she slaps her hand away. A class act and utterly characteristic of a Coach Abe team. From that moment on, Georgia began to hunt for foul calls. When they're out of options, they play even uglier than usual.
 
Carnac said:
SC is down 3 at the half to Georgia 29-26. Could this be the day SC falls from the ranks of the unbeaten? :eek:
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60317bd5064776d046596e83096b08baea93da05.gifv
 
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Bone Dog said:
Also, a classic moment for any Coach Abe team: halfway through the 4th quarter with the game slipping away, Boston and Fletcher trap Battles with a high hedge. She jumps up to try to pass over them and naturally falls down from some minimal contact by Fletcher and the whistle is blown. Boston reaches down to help Battles up and she slaps her hand away. A class act and utterly characteristic of a Coach Abe team. From that moment on, Georgia began to hunt for foul calls. When they're out of options, they play even uglier than usual.
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You mean the play where they hip checked Battle at half court and continued after the whistle was called? I think Boston is a lovely person and South Carolina doesn’t play dirty but that was a hard foul and I wouldn’t have taken anyone hand after that ish.
 
Bone Dog said:
Yup. Cooke scored really well, perhaps her best game of the season. But the SCar back court didn't manage the pressure well. Georgia wasn't the team to capitalize on this. But Ohio St. is such a team. Guard play is the only real question mark about SCar, otherwise they're pretty much invulnerable. On the plus side, SCar played great D all game long, and in the second half it was smothering.
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Cooke, Fletcher, Johnson, and Beal (who's the shortest player out there for tonight's game, after those other three mentioned) were a combined 12 assists and 5 turnovers. Beal led the way with 5 assists and 0 turnovers. That wasn't too ugly. Boston, Saxton, Cardoso, and Amihere were a combined 1 assist and 10 turnovers....

South Carolina is typically a team that makes solid halftime adjustments and plays better in the 2nd half than in the 1st. Tonight, they shot 14-22 (.636) from the field, and 5-7 (.714) from the 3-pt line, and out-scored UGA 42-22 post intermission.

Actually, if you charted the game, South Carolina shot progressively better with each passing period of play, while Georgia shot progressively worse:

1st Period:
USC: 4-16 (25.0%)
UGA: 6-12 (50.0%)

2nd Period:
USC: 4-12 (33.3%)
UGA: 7-17 (41.2%)

3rd Period:
USC: 9-16 (56.3%)
UGA: 4-12 (33.3%)

4th Period:
USC: 5-6 (83.3%)
UGA: 4-17 (23.5%)

That's what I call figuring things out as the game progresses.....
 
ConwayGmck said:
60317bd5064776d046596e83096b08baea93da05.gifv
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I just asked the question. I offered no prediction. Georgia held them to 26 first half points, but SC made adjustments at halftime, and exploded for 42 second half points winning by 17, 68-51. And the beat goes on.

SC guard Zia Cooke had a new career high of 31 Points. Aliyah Boston finished with 4 points - 5 rebounds in 31 minutes. Cooke was the only player scoring in double figures for SC. The Gamecocks sent Georgia head coach Abe and her staff back to the drawing board for further discussions.
 
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Bone Dog said:
Also, a classic moment for any Coach Abe team: halfway through the 4th quarter with the game slipping away, Boston and Fletcher trap Battles with a high hedge. She jumps up to try to pass over them and naturally falls down from some minimal contact by Fletcher and the whistle is blown. Boston reaches down to help Battles up and she slaps her hand away. A class act and utterly characteristic of a Coach Abe team. From that moment on, Georgia began to hunt for foul calls. When they're out of options, they play even uglier than usual.
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Wretched, spiteful, straight razor to totin’ women! Lawd a’mercy!

We play them again at home the last game of the regular season. I think they are going to join Mizzou as a “rival with an attitude.”
 
ConwayGmck said:
Cooke, Fletcher, Johnson, and Beal (who's the shortest player out there for tonight's game, after those other three mentioned) were a combined 12 assists and 5 turnovers. Beal led the way with 5 assists and 0 turnovers.
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You say potato, I say point guard. They seemed to lack a floor leader, from what I saw. I liked the way Beal played, but I doubt you're offering her up as a point guard.
 
Bone Dog said:
Also, a classic moment for any Coach Abe team: halfway through the 4th quarter with the game slipping away, Boston and Fletcher trap Battles with a high hedge. She jumps up to try to pass over them and naturally falls down from some minimal contact by Fletcher and the whistle is blown. Boston reaches down to help Battles up and she slaps her hand away. A class act and utterly characteristic of a Coach Abe team. From that moment on, Georgia began to hunt for foul calls. When they're out of options, they play even uglier than usual.
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Yeah I saw that. Boston got noticeably feisty after that as well. She’s nice until she’s disrespected.
 
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Regardless of what naysayers may think games like last night pays huge dividends for SC. Once tournament play starts SC will have faced just about any defense you can name as well as many different style offenses. SEC play is tough. Especially with the targets on their backs but if anyone is built for it they are.
 
Here we go again.

SC goes on the road, in conference, against a motivated crowd (their largest of the season by far) & defensive minded/rugged team looking for an ugly fight b/c they can’t match SC’s talent & depth. SC starts slow, per their usual against teams with talent in their starting 5, but slowly begins to figure things out & starts to wear down their opponent with physicality, size, depth, effort, & defensive pressure (from 13-6 down, SC outscores GA 62-38) & wins the game, & in this case comfortably. Afterwards, fans of other teams run to the message boards to point out their flaws and how they can be beat.

Rinse & repeat the whole season.

Newsflash: This IS SC women’s basketball. All SC fans know this . Do we wish we looked prettier on O, you bet. But this ‘version’ is not built like that . Can SC be beat, yes- of course, and perhaps will (just hopefully not after March). But not every top team, no matter the talent, is going to win by 25 points each game.

I get it. This is the point of these sites & fans like to discuss. But to me, it just seems like SC is held to completely unreal/different standard. Win by 17 on the road & still get nitpicked to death. Like the great man once said: “Just Win, Baby”
 
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Coburn said:
Here we go again.

SC goes on the road, in conference, against a motivated crowd (their largest of the season by far) & defensive minded/rugged team looking for an ugly fight b/c they can’t match SC’s talent & depth. SC starts slow, per their usual against teams with talent in their starting 5, but slowly begins to figure things out & starts to wear down their opponent with physicality, size, depth, effort, & defensive pressure (from 13-6 down, SC outscores GA 62-38) & wins the game, & in this case comfortably. Afterwards, fans of other teams run to the message boards to point out their flaws and how they can be beat.

Rinse & repeat the whole season.

Newsflash: This IS SC women’s basketball. All SC fans know this . Do we wish we looked prettier on O, you bet. But this ‘version’ is not built like that . Can SC be beat, yes- of course, and perhaps will (just hopefully not after March). But not every top team, no matter the talent, is going to win by 25 points each game.

I get it. This is the point of these sites & fans like to discuss. But to me, it just seems like SC is held to completely unreal/different standard. Win by 17 on the road & still get nitpicked to death. Like the great man once said: “Just Win, Baby”
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Good point.

Personally, I would love to see us look like the Seattle Storm on offense, but that is very unrealistic. I love our brand of play and our reputation as a gritty defensive minded team. That has ALWAYS been SC basketball as long as Dawn was here. SC just has the talent and the spotlight now so the expectations have increased from other people outside the program because SC doesn't look or play like programs that have dominated in the past (except maybe the Summitt teams of yore).

I'm happy as long as we continue winning and being the toughest team on the floor but Dawn coaches to the strengths of her teams.. so next year's team will look very different from this year's and maybe that'll be more palatable for those fans outside of the program. But that's not SC's problem. Let them complain as the wins stack up.
 
Bone Dog said:
Yup. Cooke scored really well, perhaps her best game of the season. But the SCar back court didn't manage the pressure well. Georgia wasn't the team to capitalize on this. But Ohio St. is such a team. Guard play is the only real question mark about SCar, otherwise they're pretty much invulnerable. On the plus side, SCar played great D all game long, and in the second half it was smothering.


Lauren Park-Lane, that's how, along with Wright and Hagans -- a trio of little guards. And they did it even losing the rebounding battle 21-35. They shot 10-20 from 3, but Georgia shot 8-15. But they also shot 58% fg. Park-Lane is totally capable of games like that.


This is Coach Abe's first year at Georgia. She was at UCF last season.
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I'm aware. I used UCF stats.
 
SCGamecock said:
Good point.

Personally, I would love to see us look like the Seattle Storm on offense, but that is very unrealistic. I love our brand of play and our reputation as a gritty defensive minded team. That has ALWAYS been SC basketball as long as Dawn was here. SC just has the talent and the spotlight now so the expectations have increased from other people outside the program because SC doesn't look or play like programs that have dominated in the past (except maybe the Summitt teams of yore).

I'm happy as long as we continue winning and being the toughest team on the floor but Dawn coaches to the strengths of her teams.. so next year's team will look very different from this year's and maybe that'll be more palatable for those fans outside of the program. But that's not SC's problem. Let them complain as the wins stack up.
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I do think that next year's team may be a wake up call as to how hard it is to defend like SC has.
 
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