South-Carolina
Texas A&M vs. South Carolina: Gamecocks’ Defensive Players to Watch
While the Texas A&M Aggies are sure to have their hands full dealing with the South Carolina Gamecocks and their new-look offense, the other half of the matchup that’s certain to ring important is the other side of the ball.
Playing on the road, especially in the SEC, is a daunting task on its own, but where visiting teams tend to struggle is on offense. If they can’t get drives going or find momentum, the already-hostile environment simply gets worse.
If any team knows about the impact that home field can have, it’s the Aggies, so it’s safe to assume they’ll be harping on the importance of finding a groove. But standing in their way is South Carolina and its defensive unit.
More specifically, three returning names are set to not only have a large impact in general but also make things difficult for the Aggies in Week 9.
Here they are:
In three seasons with the Gamecocks, Williams has only gotten better. After starting out with minimal playing time and, in turn, minimal production, the linebacker has since grown into a true defensive anchor for South Carolina. Last season, he led the defense in total tackles by more than 30 — registering 113 — and even got himself a sack.
Next year, South Carolina will certainly lean on him to do the same thing, if not better, for his senior year. As the Aggies look for momentum, Williams could easily be the biggest reason it’s not to be found.
Leading the Gamecocks with the same amount of interceptions as O’Donnell Fortune, Emmanwori is a big threat in the secondary for any opposing offenses. With great speed and an eye for the ball, Emmanwori began to specialize in his coverage. In Year 1, he registered more tackles, but fewer pass deflections and zero interceptions.
When Year 2 came around, his tackles went down, but he drastically increased his pass deflections and nabbed a pair of interceptions to go along with it. As he enters his third season, the Aggies will certainly have to weary of his deep coverage. If not, it could cost them a turnover — and, in an extreme case, the game.
Sanders is another example of a player who demonstrated extreme growth from Year 1 to Year 2. As a freshman, the defensive tackle registered just 16 total tackles and a sack, but when his sophomore year came around, he leveled up in every aspect of his game. His tackles, pass deflections and sack count all went up, which bodes well for his expected production this upcoming year.
With the size and a clear instinct for disrupting plays, he could make the Aggies’ life very difficult if he finds a rhythm, especially with his home stadium rooting for a sack.
SACRAMENTO, CA — No. 3 TCU took down No. 10 Virginia in the Sweet 16, preventing South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley from coaching against her college team in the Elite Eight of the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
The No. 1 seeded Gamecocks (34-3) will play the No. 3 seeded Horned Frogs (32-5) on March 30 (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Golden 1 Center.
South Carolina beat No. 4 seed Oklahoma 94-68 in the Sweet 16 before TCU beat Virginia 79-69.
The only time these two teams met was in 2024 when South Carolina won 85-52.
Dawn Staley has only coached against TCU once
This will be somewhat of an unfamiliar matchup for Staley, who has only coached one game against TCU, and the 2024-25 roster was much different than what she’ll see on March 30.
Last year’s TCU team was powered by players like Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince. Now it’s Olivia Miles who is running the show.
Only one starter from last year’s team returned, and TCU added six transfer players.
Coach Mark Campbell is in his third season but has been to two of the last three NCAA Tournaments. Last year the Horned Frogs lost to Texas in the Elite Eight.
Olivia Miles is TCU’s star point guard
Olivia Miles transferred to TCU from Notre Dame in a shocking offseason move after Miles was projected as a top-5 WNBA draft pick.
The senior guard is averaging 19.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists, coming off 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the Sweet 16.
She’s fifth in the nation in assists, 42nd in double-doubles with 12 total, and leads the nation in triple doubles with six.
Miles wasn’t healthy and didn’t play for Notre Dame against South Carolina in the 2023-24 season opener, so this is Staley’s first time scouting against one of the nation’s top ball handlers.
Marta Suarez, Clara Silva vs Joyce Edwards, Madina Okot
After fighting through Oklahoma’s post defense, South Carolina’s post players have a new challenge in TCU’s Marta Suarez. The 6-foot-3 Suarez is averaging 16.8 points and 7.4 rebounds, coming off 33 points and 10 rebounds in Sweet 16.
She’s tied with Miles with 12 double-doubles.
Clara Silva, 6-foot-7 center, is in her first season with TCU after one with Kentucky last year. Silva won’t be impacted by the SEC’s physicality given her freshman year experience and is averaging 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds for TCU.
She didn’t score against South Carolina last year at Kentucky but had two assists and a steal in seven minutes of action.
TCU leads Big 12 in points allowed, rebounds and point differential
The Horned Frogs have the top defense in the Big 12, allowing an average of 55.9 points per game. They are also first in rebounds with 41.7 per game and in point differential at +21.4.
South Carolina vs TCU prediction in Elite Eight
South Carolina 84, TCU 72: This could be the closest game for South Carolina this tournament and will come down to execution. But despite almost three 100-point games, the Gamecocks say they still have room to grow with their best basketball left to play.
Raven Johnson vs Olivia Miles will be the main guard matchup, with Clara Silva vs Madina Okot at the center spot and Marta Suarez vs Joyce Edwards. So expect players like Tessa Johnson or Ta’Niya Latson to try to step up for Staley.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
South-Carolina
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina box score: Full stats from 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament game
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina box score: Full stats from 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament continues with Sweet 16 action Saturday as No. 1 South Carolina and No. 4 Oklahoma battle for a spot in the Elite Eight.
Advertisement
Another year, another Sweet 16 appearance for Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks, who are a serious championship contender. They’ll face the Sooners in a SEC conference matchup. The game between both squads resulted in one of South Carolina’s three losses this season.
Oklahoma won the overtime thriller 94-82 in Norman on January 23.
Here is a look at the box score from Saturday’s Sweet 16 Regional 4 in Sacramento.
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina March Madness box score
Oklahoma stats
|
NO |
Name |
POS |
MIN |
FGM-A |
3PM-A |
FTM-A |
OREB |
REB |
AST |
ST |
BLK |
TO |
PF |
PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 |
Sahara Williams |
F |
24 |
2-8 |
0-0 |
1-1 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
|
4 |
Caya Smith |
F |
7 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3 |
Zya Vann |
G |
22 |
2-7 |
1-3 |
1-2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
|
2 |
Aaliyah Chavez |
G |
30 |
7-18 |
3-9 |
2-2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
19 |
|
21 |
Brooklyn Stewart |
F |
15 |
0-2 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
|
12 |
Payton Verhulst |
G |
29 |
4-11 |
2-4 |
0-0 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
|
22 |
Keziah Lofton |
G |
10 |
2-3 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
|
15 |
Raegan Beers |
C |
27 |
4-8 |
0-1 |
2-6 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
10 |
|
Total |
21-57 |
6-17 |
6-11 |
13 |
31 |
9 |
5 |
9 |
12 |
7 |
54 |
|||
|
36.8% |
35.3% |
54.5% |
||||||||||||
South Carolina stats
|
NO |
Name |
POS |
MIN |
FGM-A |
3PM-A |
FTM-A |
OREB |
REB |
AST |
ST |
BLK |
TO |
PF |
PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8 |
Joyce Edwards |
F |
28 |
3-10 |
0-0 |
2-2 |
2 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
|
1 |
Maddy McDaniel |
G |
13 |
0-3 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
30 |
Maryam Dauda |
F |
3 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
31 |
Alicia Tournebize |
F |
8 |
1-4 |
0-1 |
0-0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
|
5 |
Tessa Johnson |
G |
21 |
6-8 |
2-2 |
0-0 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
|
Ta’Niya Latson |
G |
26 |
6-10 |
3-3 |
6-6 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
21 |
|
|
11 |
Madina Okot |
C |
19 |
3-6 |
1-1 |
0-0 |
5 |
11 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
|
44 |
Agot Makeer |
G |
21 |
3-8 |
1-2 |
1-1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
|
25 |
Raven Johnson |
G |
25 |
8-11 |
2-3 |
0-0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Total |
30-60 |
9-13 |
9-9 |
12 |
35 |
18 |
7 |
5 |
8 |
12 |
78 |
|||
|
50.0% |
69.2% |
100.0% |
||||||||||||
As for the NCAA tournament, South Carolina has dominated so far, winning by 69 points against Southern before blowing out the USC Trojans by 40 in the Round of 32.
Advertisement
Oklahoma has made a nice run in this year’s tournament as a No. 4 seed, beating Idaho by 30 before knocking off No. 5 Michigan State by six in the second round.
These two teams will give each other fits. The real question could be which team will final possession and will they capilitize?
What channel is Oklahoma vs. South Carolina on today?
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina How to Watch
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Golden 1 Center- Saramento, California
TV: ESPN (Available on FuboTV)
More college basketball news:
South-Carolina
Where to watch South Carolina vs. Oklahoma in March Madness Sweet 16: Time, TV Channel
March Madness is underway and college basketball’s big dance continues with No. 1 seed South Carolina taking on No. 4 seed Oklahoma in a Sweet 16 matchup on Saturday, March 28. Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the clash between the Sooners and Gamecocks.
USA TODAY Sports has a team of journalists covering women’s March Madness to keep you up to date with every point scored, rebound grabbed and game won in the 68-team tournament.
USA TODAY Studio IX: Check out our women’s sports hub for in-depth analysis, commentary and more
What time is Oklahoma vs South Carolina Sweet 16 game?
No. 1 South Carolina vs No. 4 Oklahoma tips off at 5:00 PM (EST) on Saturday, March 28 from Golden 1 Center (Sacramento, California).
What channel is Oklahoma vs South Carolina Sweet 16 game?
No. 1 South Carolina vs No. 4 Oklahoma is airing live on ESPN.
How to stream Oklahoma vs South Carolina Sweet 16 game
No. 1 South Carolina vs No. 4 Oklahoma is available to stream on Fubo.
Watch the NCAA Tournament all March long with Fubo
Oklahoma March Madness results
- Round of 62: def No. 13 Idaho, 89-59
- Round of 32: def No. 5 Michigan State, 77-71
South Carolina March Madness results
Round of 32: def No. 9 USC, 101-61
Round of 62: def No. 16 Southern, 103-34
Women’s March Madness schedule today
See the schedule, live scores and results for all of Saturday’s NCAA Tournament action here.
2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament full schedule
- March 18-19: First Four
- March 20-21: First Round
- March 22-23: Second Round
- March 27-28: Sweet 16
- March 29-30: Elite 8
- April 3: Final Four
- April 5: National Championship
Join the USA TODAY Survivor Pool to win cash prizes
Over 2 dozen children among 33 bodies pulled from Kenyan mass grave: authorities
Scathing report claims nation’s oldest labor union ‘betrayed’ MAGA members through ‘shocking’ spending
Cases of ‘white plague’ rising in US as doctors warn of ‘rebound effect’
F1 star Max Verstappen suggests he’s considering retirement at age 28
FBI email hack shows why you must lock down your tech
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Scathing report claims nation’s oldest labor union ‘betrayed’ MAGA members through ‘shocking’ spending
Republican US lawmaker demands Congress vote on any Iran troop deployment
So you went to a No Kings protest. Now what?
JD Vance says he was ‘obsessed’ with UFOs, believes aliens are actually ‘demons’
The EU's recipe for trade deals : easy on beef, tough on wine
-
Sports1 week agoIOC addresses execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
-
New Mexico7 days agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
-
Miami, FL3 days agoJannik Sinner’s Girlfriend Laila Hasanovic Stuns in Ab-Revealing Post Amid Miami Open
-
Tennessee6 days agoTennessee Police Investigating Alleged Assault Involving ‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson
-
Minneapolis, MN3 days agoBoy who shielded classmate during school shooting receives Medal of Honor
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube job scam text: How to spot it fast
-
Politics1 week agoSchumer gambit fails as DHS shutdown hits 36 days and airport lines grow
-
Science1 week agoRecord Heat Meets a Major Snow Drought Across the West