At halftime inside Colonial Life Arena, the No. 2 South Carolina Gamecocks hold a 35–24 lead over their in-state rival Clemson, but the first 20 minutes haven’t been as smooth as head coach Dawn Staley would like.
Despite maintaining control on the scoreboard, the Gamecocks have shown some early vulnerabilities, particularly in the rebounding department — an issue that could cause major problems once SEC play begins if not corrected soon. Clemson, meanwhile, has come out fearless and aggressive, refusing to back down against one of the nation’s top teams.
The Tigers have done a solid job limiting South Carolina’s second-chance opportunities and challenging them physically inside. Their confidence and tempo on both ends of the court have kept the Gamecocks from fully breaking the game open.
Offensively, South Carolina has relied on its depth and guard play to maintain the lead, with players like Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson orchestrating the attack and Joyce Edwards providing strong inside touches. Still, the Gamecocks’ normally dominant rebounding presence hasn’t shown up with the same force, giving Clemson opportunities to extend possessions and stay within striking distance.
Defensively, South Carolina has been sound but not flawless. Clemson’s perimeter shooters have found just enough rhythm to keep pressure on, while the Gamecocks have occasionally been slow to rotate and close out on the ball.
At the half, Staley’s team still looks poised to take control in the second, but the message heading into the locker room is clear: clean up the rebounding, tighten defensive communication, and reassert their physical dominance.
If South Carolina can make those adjustments, they’ll likely pull away as expected. But for now, Clemson deserves credit for showing no fear — and giving the Gamecocks plenty to think about at the break.
