South Carolina women's basketball: Three things we learned from last week

South Carolina has cruised to a 4-0 record in the SEC. Here’s what we learned from the sweep of the Texas teams, including a statement win over the no. 5 Longhorns.

1. The offense is fixed

After the loss to UCLA, I wrote that South Carolina’s offense was broken. Here’s what I wrote the next day:

“There were frequent possessions on Sunday when I would watch an offensive possession and have no clue what the Gamecocks were trying to accomplish.”

I added that it was fixable, and they have definitely fixed it. Since the Christmas break, South Carolina has scored 93, 83, 95, 90, and 67 points. The last game was the best proof of how far they come. 

Even when scoring 67, the Gamecocks shot 71% in the first half and 51% for the game. Despite committing a season-high 22 turnovers, Dawn Staley was happy with the offense.

“It’s all about taking good shots,” Staley said. “I think you can have a night, as far as having as many turnovers as we had, with taking good shots, you lose games taking bad shots. And for us, we were finally getting to that point where we’re taking better shots, and we’re taking rhythm shots, and it’s paying off, especially in the game like this.”

South Carolina has found its identity. Spread the floor, move the ball around, and run the floor. They sprinkle in some post-ups with Joyce Edwards and Chloe Kitts, but mostly, they play face-up basketball and get open looks by moving the ball around.

2. The defense is still elite

While the offense struggled earlier in the season, Staley consistently said she wasn’t worried about the defensive end of the court. The performance didn’t always back that up, but it is now. 

Texas entered Sunday’s game with one of the best offenses in the country: sixth in field goal percentage (49.6%), first in free throws made and attempted (19.2/25.4), fourth in scoring offense (90.4 points), and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.34).

The Gamecocks held the Longhorns to 27.8% shooting, 5-10 free throws, 50 points, and a 0.58 assist-to-turnover ratio. All were season-lows.

[South Carolina-LSU WBB: Win tickets]

South Carolina did it without Ashlyn Watkins, the Gamecocks’ best defender. So what’s working? 

It starts with all the athletically gifted defenders South Carolina has, but the key to defense is effort and commitment. Nobody exemplifies that more than MiLaysia Fulwiley. Her focus wanders at times, but latel,y she has been locked in.

It was on display in the third quarter. After a Texas flop drew a charge on Chloe Kitts, Staley called Fulwiley over. From their body language, it was clear Staley told her to go get the ball back (it’s not on the broadcast so you’ll have to take my word for it). Fulwiley initially knocked the ball away from Rori Harmon, and then after Harmon recovered, drew the offensive foul. 

“When Lay’s locked in, she impacts it on both sides of the basketball,” Staley said. “I would like for her to really understand her power from a defensive standpoint. So we’re always encouraging her. The only reason why she comes out of the game is her not defending.”

3. Watkins has become South Carolina’s rallying point

Let’s make one thing crystal clear: There is no way, shape, or form in which the Gamecocks are a better team without Ashlyn Watkins.

But…

Losing Watkins seems to have given her teammates something to rally around. Last season was all about the Revenge Tour, even for the players who weren’t around two seasons ago. The Repeat Tour clearly didn’t carry the same weight this season.

Now the other frontcourt players know they need to step up and Staley said they are playing more “free.” The guards, like Fulwiley, seem more committed to playing all-around basketball. They’ve found the proverbial chip on their shoulder.

“I’m really proud of them,” Staley said. “They’re playing together. They’re playing for Ashlyn. They’re playing to make sure people don’t look at us as not contenders.”

“The biggest thing for us is we play for each other,” Bree Hall said.