No. 3 South Carolina brings a 16-game winning streak against Auburn into Thursday night’s 9 p.m. ET showdown on SEC Network, armed with some of the nation’s most impressive offensive statistics and defensive accolades, according to GamecocksOnline.com.
Offensive Firepower
The Gamecocks (20-2, 6-1 SEC) rank fourth nationally in field goal percentage at 51.1%, including six games shooting at least 60% from the floor. Their most recent offensive explosion came against No. 5 Vanderbilt, when South Carolina shot 61.5%—the fourth-best shooting performance against a ranked opponent in program history, per GamecocksOnline.com.
South Carolina’s 89.0 points per game ranks fourth nationally, while their 81.1 points per SEC contest places them second in the conference. The Gamecocks have recorded a program-record seven 100-point games this season.
“South Carolina is second in the nation with 1.206 points per offensive possession,” according to Synergy data reported by GamecocksOnline.com.
Ball Security and Assists
The Gamecocks excel at protecting the basketball, ranking 19th nationally with just 12.8 turnovers per game while allowing only 10.8 points off those miscues—the 12th-lowest average in the country. Their 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 11th nationally, led by senior Raven Johnson’s 3.7 mark, which is fourth-best in the nation, GamecocksOnline.com reports.
Defensive Recognition
Johnson and sophomore Joyce Edwards earned spots on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List this week. South Carolina is one of three schools with multiple representatives among the 25-player list that includes 12 SEC entries.
Edwards ranks ninth in the SEC with 1.4 blocks per game and 11th with 2.1 steals per contest. South Carolina leads the conference with 6.4 blocks per game in league play, according to GamecocksOnline.com.
Individual Standouts
Joyce Edwards continues her National Player of the Year campaign, ranking 18th nationally in scoring (20.0 PPG) and 16th in field goal percentage (59.1%). The sophomore has been South Carolina’s leading scorer 13 times with 11 20-point performances. She draws 4.7 fouls per game overall and 5.1 in SEC play.
Ta’Niya Latson posted her first 20-point SEC game with 21 against Vanderbilt, giving her five 20-point outings this season. She ranks 12th in the SEC at 15.7 PPG while shooting 49.5% from the field—eighth in the conference, per GamecocksOnline.com.
Tessa Johnson leads the SEC in three-point shooting at 46.6% (sixth nationally) with 2.6 made threes per game (fifth in league). She’s one of only two players ranked in the SEC’s top 15 in both overall field goal percentage (48.8%, 11th) and three-point percentage.
Agot Makeer, the sixth-ranked recruit in the Class of 2025, is averaging 7.9 points in SEC play with 4.4 rebounds per game (leading all guards). The McDonald’s All-American adds 1.6 steals per conference game, third on the team, according to GamecocksOnline.com.
Series History
South Carolina holds a 31-21 all-time advantage but is just 12-12 in Auburn. Under Dawn Staley (beginning 2008-09), the Gamecocks are 19-3 against the Tigers with a current 16-game winning streak (7 in Auburn).
Last season’s meeting in Columbia saw South Carolina win 83-66 behind Edwards’ 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting. The Gamecocks built gradually, establishing a five-point first-quarter lead that doubled to 10 by halftime.
In their last Auburn visit (Feb. 1, 2024), South Carolina claimed a 76-54 victory after struggling in the first half before shooting 56.3% after intermission.
Rankings Update
South Carolina ranks No. 3 in both the AP Poll and USA Today/WBCA Coaches’ Poll, extending their consecutive AP top-10 appearance streak to 129 weeks (longest active streak). Their 260 straight AP Poll appearances dating to December 2012 mark the second-longest active streak nationally and sixth-longest all-time, GamecocksOnline.com reports.
As the Gamecocks navigate a challenging road stretch, Thursday’s contest represents another opportunity to demonstrate the offensive efficiency and defensive intensity that makes them a national championship contender.
Source: GamecocksOnline.com
