This season, the Lady Vols have added a wrinkle into the yearly gauntlet of the SEC for their opponents.

Tennessee hired Kim Caldwell who has employed her full-game full-court press and transition offense that won her a Division II National Championship with Glenville State and Sun Belt title with Marshall.

The Lady Vols next opponent is the defending national title winners, South Carolina. Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley, who has already won a trio of championships, is welcoming the new opposing coach into the conference.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

“I’ve seen the style. Not by any team in our league,” Staley said. “They’re very consistent and persistent with that and they make you adjust. Which I think is good. It’s good for our league. It’s good for just different styles of play. And it’s good for if you have a team like that in the NCAA Tournament, it’s good to have played that style.”

Staley has taken the time to dissect what her team will need to do have success. With the shooting ability of almost everyone on the roster, it spaces things out and emphasizes the need to win one-on-one defensive opportunities.

She is also hoping to prevent turnovers on offense. In the inevitable situation that her team does cough the ball up, she’s just hoping they do a good job of getting back on defense.

“It’s great. It’s a great up-tempo style,” Staley said. “It’s fluid. Anybody has an opportunity to shoot threes. They space you out. It’s just really different. They rebound the basketball, as well. They pressure you. There’s certain things that we need to take care of. The ball is one. Two is defending our turnovers if we do turn it over. Three is obviously transition and the 3-point line. And fourth, we’ve got to defend. Although you’re not going to disrupt them so much because they space you out, we’ve got to be able to guard one-on-one.”

The result that Staley envisions is a close game. That’s what Tennessee has been able to do against other top teams its played.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Everything Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell said about birth, South Carolina

In clashes against top-10 opponents LSU and Oklahoma at home, it was just one-possession separating the teams. In another game against a top-10 squad, the Lady Vols fell by four to Texas in a game they led in late.

The difference Staley thinks will decide the game is simply who gets on timely streaks.

“I got to think it’s going to be a close game,” Staley said. “It’s at their place. Hard to win on the road. Different style will probably take a little bit to adjust to. We got to make them adjust to us and the whole objective is for us to adjust to them. And then somewhere in the middle, a team is going to have a run. I just hope it’s us.”

Spearheading the effective system for Tennessee on both ends of the floor is Talaysia Cooper.

Staley has a strong familiarity with Cooper with the Tennessee star beginning her career with the Gamecocks. Cooper spent her true freshman year under Staley before entering the transfer portal after the window. This forced her to sit out last season.

Despite the pair parting ways, Staley is happy that Cooper has found a situation that fits her. Cooper’s success is no surprise to her former coach, though.

“Great player,” Staley said. “We recruit great players. We have great players in our program. I’m happy for Coop. I’m really happy that she found her happy place and she’s in there and she can do it all. She can defend. She can score all three levels. She can play multiple positions. I think that style of play fits perfectly for her.”

Tip-off for the game is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – The South Carolina athletic department announced Sunday that the women’s basketball team’s arena DJ has been suspended for one game for a song played at the end of the Gamecocks’ win over LSU on Friday.

The DJ, known as DJ T.O., is suspended for playing “Cut Friends” by Camouflage. The artist, whose real name was Jason Johnson, was the father of LSU player Flau’Jae Johnson. He was murdered in 2003, about six months before Flau’Jae was born.

Flau’jae Johnson posted on X:

The South Carolina said in a statement on X the DJ’s actions were “disrespectful to the LSU program and fans.” The post also said conference rivalries and passionate fan bases should enhance sports, not target individual players.

Here is the full statement below:

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Any time spent at the beach is sure to put you in a vacation state of mind. And while there are many important things to consider when planning a trip, blue waters and white sand beaches always earn bonus points. The good news is that if you’re heading to South Carolina with family or friends this summer, the beaches are all truly magnificent so there’s no wrong decision.

The Best Girlfriend Getaways In South Carolina To Plan Now

The Bluest Water In South Carolina

Coligny Beach on Hilton Head Island is where you should head for the bluest waters. Hilton Head is famous for its beaches, so it’s no surprise that the waters here are extra beautiful. While a good amount of Hilton Head is home to high-end resorts with private beach access, Coligny Beach is open free to the public, which makes it one of the most popular places on the island. Read on to learn more about this spectacular spot.

What Makes Coligny Beach’s Water So Blue?

The sand on Hilton Head Island is bright white, blissfully soft, and very fine, and the water is shallow, especially at low tide. Both of these qualities can make the water appear sparkling blue. When the ocean is relatively calm and shallow, there is also less plankton, sand, particles, and other materials constantly churning in the waves, which gives the water a clearer appearance.

There’s a scientific reason as well, of course. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this phenomenon occurs when light passes through water and absorbs colors in the red part of the light spectrum, leaving colors on the blue end of the color spectrum.

How To See Coligny Beach’s Water

Coligny Beach, the most popular public beach on Hilton Head Island, is a local favorite for more than its aquamarine waters. It’s easy to access, thanks to a beautifully designed park that includes a pathway and boardwalk that leads you straight onto the sand.

The Coligny Beach Park also has lots of amenities too: gazebos with swings, a fountain with synchronized jets, seating areas (including rocking chairs), beach matting for wheelchair access, outdoor showers, and a free parking area. The Breeze, which is Hilton Head’s free public trolley, makes stops as well. (Just be sure to check the seasonal schedule.) It’s truly a beach that everyone can appreciate—for the magical color of the ocean, and more.

This Beach Has The Clearest Water—And Whitest Sand—In North Carolina

Read the original article on Southern Living