USC Gamecocks 2024-25 Season: Part Two | Page 29 | The Boneyard

USC Gamecocks 2024-25 Season: Part Two

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Reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated.

UCLA is the best team and UConn has the most top end talent. Avoid UCLA and avoid a 13-28 shooting night from UConn and we can win it.

We're suddenly the anti-Notre Dame. The Irish were getting pumped up all year and "they're only ranked (wherever) because they don't get to play as many good teams! They should be even higher!" Well, congratulations. You finally played some more good teams.
It's so bunched at the top that the truly best team could easily be knocked out with an off night. I don't know who the best team is but that's where the parity has brought us. It's going to take a lot of luck....and luck only happens when opportunity meets preparation.
 
ESPN does record the games if you have a provider. Go to WATCH...schedule & replays and at the top pick the date and scroll down to the game and click. Easy enough.
Also Gamecocks games uploaded to YouTube by/on ‘Robbie Robinson’ account within hours.
 
It's so bunched at the top that the truly best team could easily be knocked out with an off night. I don't know who the best team is but that's where the parity has brought us. It's going to take a lot of luck....and luck only happens when opportunity meets preparation.
I would be highly surprised if any team outside of the top 7 teams wins the tournament. With that said, all of those top 7 teams are vulnerable and could lose to another top 25 team if they don't bring their A game. But playing the odds, when it's all said and done, one of those 7 teams will not be phased and make it through the gauntlet to win it all.
 
Reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated.

UCLA is the best team and UConn has the most top end talent. Avoid UCLA and avoid a 13-28 shooting night from UConn and we can win it.

We're suddenly the anti-Notre Dame. The Irish were getting pumped up all year and "they're only ranked (wherever) because they don't get to play as many good teams! They should be even higher!" Well, congratulations. You finally played some more good teams.
ND got respect because they've beaten Texas, UConn and USC, who are three of the six or so real contenders to win it all.
 
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Yeah they're hating on us right now. But we got the dub, so I expect Notre Dame to move to a 2 seed if we beat Kentucky on Sunday. I think we also want to root for UCLA to beat Southern Cal on Saturday so it doubles our odds of being back on the 1 line.
I’m not sure why fans are so concerned with being a 1 vs 2 seed. But assuming your scenario works out and So Carolina moves to a 1 seed, your 2 seed would most likely be UConn. I don’t think either one of our fan bases want this matchup until the final game
 
I’m not sure why fans are so concerned with being a 1 vs 2 seed. But assuming your scenario works out and So Carolina moves to a 1 seed, your 2 seed would most likely be UConn. I don’t think either one of our fan bases want this matchup until the final game
I would think that Notre Dame and South Carolina would switch places with #6 UConn paired up with Southern Cal as the #3 overall seed. But there is still potential for more rearrangements (USC/UCLA tonight and potentially again in the conference tournament. Same story with South Carolina/Texas in the SEC tournament) so I am not even thinking matchups right now.
 
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I think, in order for us to win the national championship, we will need Adhel to earn more playing time. She's a defensive presence as a space eater in the middle. We also need the Sania and Chloe from the Ole Miss game. I'm going to the SEC Tournament and NCAAT games in Columbia, but travel to Birmingham and Tampa is unlikely. I decided after the Vegas trip that I'm not traveling to games in places I have no desire to visit. It's funny how your perspective starts to change when you get close to retirement.
 
I'm really interested in seeing how Dawn uses Ayla and Agot next year. They both have a lot of crossover in skills and are probably best suited to play the 3. With that said, they're both very versatile and could play 2-4. We'll have a huge need to have someone backup MiLaysia at the 2 next season, especially if Raven goes pro. MiLaysia will probably be the backup PG behind Maddie, and Tessa would probably play more 2 guard. With Paopao and Hall leaving, that leaves plenty of playtime at the 2/3 next season. I wouldn't be surprised is Coach Staley brings in a veteran PG or SG in the portal. But let's say that doesn't happen and Raven goes pro. I think we would be looking at the following depth chart:

PG: McDaniel, Fulwiley
SG: Fulwiley, T. Johnson
SF/W: T. Johnson, Makeer/McDowell
PF: Kitts, Dauda, Edwards
C/F: Edwards, Dauda, Tac

I left Watkins out, just because we'll have to wait and see how fast it takes her to return to her old self but she is definitely a wildcard on next year's team.
 
Makeer’s commitment is a welcome surprise after what was shaping up to be an uncharacteristic miss in recruiting classes and makes me feel a lot better about the state of our team next year. We have some gaps to address still, but once again our roster should be as athletic as anyone’s in the country.
 
Makeer’s commitment is a welcome surprise after what was shaping up to be an uncharacteristic miss in recruiting classes and makes me feel a lot better about the state of our team next year. We have some gaps to address still, but once again our roster should be as athletic as anyone’s in the country.
I feel the same way. I'd love to get a BIG big from the portal. I've got my eye on someone from another SEC team (not a good one) that can rebound the air out of the basketball.
 
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I feel the same way. I'd love to get a BIG big from the portal. I've got my eye on someone from another SEC team (not a good one) that can rebound the air out of the basketball.
Yeah I was about to say we have a lot of bigs coming back but we need a big-bodied big to be, if nothing else, a defensive chess piece against other bigs like Betts/Oldacre and who can rebound. That could eventually be Tac but I think next year will still be a growth year for her. I really want Oliviyah Edwards out of the 2026 class. She's got the girth of a BIG big with the athleticism of a forward like Joyce Edwards. I think she could be that chess piece in the next generation.
 
Yeah I was about to say we have a lot of bigs coming back but we need a big-bodied big to be, if nothing else, a defensive chess piece against other bigs like Betts/Oldacre and who can rebound. That could eventually be Tac but I think next year will still be a growth year for her. I really want Oliviyah Edwards out of the 2026 class. She's got the girth of a BIG big with the athleticism of a forward like Joyce Edwards. I think she could be that chess piece in the next generation.
Clearly Dawn has coached some outstanding Bigs during her time at SC. But if I’m a Big looking to find a new home, I have to carefully consider whether SC is the best place to go in lieu of the fact that the 3 true Bigs on the roster don’t see the floor much in big games and presumably both Edwards & Watkins will be back for the Gamecocks next season.
 
Clearly Dawn has coached some outstanding Bigs during her time at SC. But if I’m a Big looking to find a new home, I have to carefully consider whether SC is the best place to go in lieu of the fact that the 3 true Bigs on the roster don’t see the floor much in big games and presumably both Edwards & Watkins will be back for the Gamecocks next season.
Watkins probably won’t be ready until FEBRUARY and may be slowed in her athleticism then . . . And athleticism is the foundation of her game.

I hope she shoots 10,00 free throws while waiting to practice again
 
Clearly Dawn has coached some outstanding Bigs during her time at SC. But if I’m a Big looking to find a new home, I have to carefully consider whether SC is the best place to go in lieu of the fact that the 3 true Bigs on the roster don’t see the floor much in big games and presumably both Edwards & Watkins will be back for the Gamecocks next season.
Different circumstances, though I understand what you're saying. Tac is recovering from her second ACL tear in two years, so she is very green. Dauda is not my definition of a BIG big as she is very skinny and isn't as natural at playing with her back to the basket. Walker, while big, was never truly going to be a chess piece for Dawn as I feel like she was a consolation for missing out on other bigs and isn't as talented or athletic. With Feagin leaving we have an opening for a true center to start and eat up those minutes and I think Dawn wouldn't think twice before recruiting a Betts/Oldacre/Beers type of big if they were to appear in the portal.
 
One who doesn't normally follow this thread chiming in:

I just noticed Chloe got a triple-double last night. I hadn't seen it mentioned, so thought I'd give credit where it's due. I'm mildly surprised that the third double is assists rather than blocks or steals. Now I wish I'd recorded the game.
Someone has made the effort to compile Ms Kitts' highlights of her triple double performance:
 
ND got respect because they've beaten Texas, UConn and USC, who are three of the six or so real contenders to win it all.
I’m completely aware of which results they overemphasized when making the claim.

ND was appropriately rated around 5th or 6th in the metrics all year and people said “But what if you ignore the other 20+ games and only consider the three best results?! What then, huh?”

And the last week has reminded people why you don’t ignore the other games.

One result of women’s basketball fandom being much smaller and less national than that of other sports is the median fan lags on understanding or trusting metrics.
 
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Public Service Announcement..... The first 1,500 FAMS in attendance for the KY game get a free FAMs T-shirt. Someone pick one up for me...
I didn't get there early enough. FYI, Biscuitville is opening a store in Columbia.
 
Are you saying that you're one of the FAMS now? :eek:

:rolleyes:


I didn't get there early enough. FYI, Biscuitville is opening a store in Columbia.

Its ok.... seems like when they do the T-shirt things... they never have the proper sizes


Seems like SC is becoming more livable by the day. Now do something about the 120 degree summers and the mustard stuff :rolleyes:
 
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:rolleyes:




Its ok.... seems like when they do the T-shirt things... they never have the proper sizes


Seems like SC is becoming more livable by the day. Now do something about the 120 degree summers and the mustard stuff :rolleyes:
I'm not much of a BBQ fan. I'll fix the weather as I'm moving north when I retire.
 
Liked what I saw from my girls tonight. With about 6 minutes to go they put it into another gear. We have questioned their toughness some this year but they just took this game today. Gonna be a tough tournament, but I like how we ended the regular season.
 
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