South Carolina Prepares for First “The Real SC” Showdown Against Southern Cal
South Carolina travels to Los Angeles to face Southern Cal in the inaugural game of The Real SC Series on Saturday, and there’s plenty to watch for in this highly anticipated matchup.
1. What to Expect
The Trojans are coming off a thrilling 69-68 win over NC State last weekend, a game that tested their mettle and gave South Carolina valuable film to study. The Gamecocks, by contrast, had mostly faced blowouts up to this point and hadn’t been truly tested in a close contest.
“They’re a little bit more battle-tested than we are, playing the schedule that they play,” Dawn Staley said. “So, hopefully, the teams that we’ve played — and they have — have prepared us for them, as far as the type of offenses.”
South Carolina did face a challenge against Clemson, trailing by just 10 after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth. Staley emphasized the value of such experiences for her team.
“I thought it was a real challenge for us tonight, they challenged us to be more disciplined. And if we didn’t, we lose a basketball game, they get into our lead,” she said. “So it’s really good stuff that we need to show our team so we can recognize it. Everything is about awareness and recognition for this team. Because once they recognize it and they’re aware of it, we make adjustments, and they can actually execute the adjustments.”
Reflecting on Thursday’s practice, Staley admitted the team had to find its rhythm. “We weren’t organized, and I will own that,” she said. “We weren’t getting in the things that we were familiar with. We kind of let our players play a little bit in freelance, and once you do that, it leads to bad shots. So, towards the end of the third quarter and into the fourth quarter, we just really got them into things that were familiar.“
2. More Shots for Ta’Niya Latson
Latson took just eight shots against Clemson, far too few for a player of her caliber. Raven Johnson believes the game served as a wake-up call.
“I think that game helped us realize what we need to do and how to get better. We’re going to take that game and run with it,” Johnson said. “I think she’s being Ta’Niya Latson. She’s going to get better, and she knows what she needs to work on.”
3. Freshman Matchup: Jazzy vs. Agot
Originally, the series envisioned a duel between Juju Watkins and Milaysia Fulwiley, but this year it’s freshmen guards Jazzy Davidson and Agot Makeer drawing attention.
Davidson, the nation’s top-ranked recruit, scored 21 points and the game-winner against NC State, averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Makeer has become South Carolina’s top reserve, averaging 7.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks while shooting 57% from three.
“Take away her options, take away her eyesight,” Raven Johnson said. “Just limit things, honestly, but it’s going to be a team effort.”
4. Player Availability
As of Thursday’s practice, all South Carolina players are healthy and ready for the game, with the exception of Maddy McDaniel, who remains suspended indefinitely. Southern Cal’s Juju Watkins is out for the season due to a torn ACL.
5. Scouting Southern Cal
The Trojans are still a work in progress, returning just one starter from last season, sophomore Kennedy Smith, and only two seniors. The team also lacks a clear point guard.
Despite Davidson’s high scoring, she has struggled from the field, shooting just 30.8% overall and 3-16 from three. Londynn Jones is tied for the team lead in points and has shown big-play ability. Against NC State, Davidson, Smith, and Jones combined for 50 of the Trojans’ 69 points, while Southern Cal was dominated on the glass, outrebounded by 14.
“We’ve got to figure out how we create layers to our defense so they don’t get easy looks,” Staley said. “The most important thing is to make them work for catches, make them work for good looks. And we got to be committed to that, as an overall team.
Game Details
- Who: #2 South Carolina (3-0) vs. #8 Southern Cal (2-0)
- When: 9:00 PM ET, Saturday, November 15
- Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- Watch: FOX
