South Carolina Gamecocks News: Undefeated November, recruiting, and more

Here is the latest South Carolina Gamecocks News, starting with the football team’s undefeated November continuing with a win over Kentucky.

The Gamecocks won 17-14, and the defense had one of its best performances of the year.

Xavier Legette moved up to 2nd place on the all-time single-season receiving yardage leaderboard. He only trails Alshon Jeffery’s 2010 campaign.

Spencer Rattler passed Connor Shaw in career passing yards. He is also just the 2nd quarterback to ever throw for 3000 yards in multiple seasons for the South Carolina Gamecocks, joining Todd Ellis.

Shane Beamer moved to 8-3 in November in his career.

Lamont Paris’ South Carolina basketball team remained undefeated (5-0) with a win over a good Grand Canyon squad to claim the Arizona Tipoff Tournament championship.

The Gamecocks won 75-68 over the ‘Lopes to bring home the championship belt (yes, the “trophy” for the Arizona Tipoff is a championship belt). BJ Mack led the way with 27 points.

In the previous round, USC beat DePaul 73-68. The Gamecocks won despite a relatively poor showing.

At the beginning of last week, South Carolina basketball played pretty badly but still did enough to knock off VMI 74-64.

Dawn Staley’s group also is undefeated in November. Their latest win was a 109-40 beatdown of the rival Clemson Tigers.

The beatdown over Clemson was powered by the whole team, but the team got huge days from Kamilla Cardoso, Raven Johnson, Ashlyn Watkins, and MiLaysia Fulwiley.

In the world of recruiting, the football team made some minor headlines.

Local defensive back Isaiah McClary committed to the program as a preferred walk-on in the class of 2024.

Major flip target Kameryn Fountain (currently pledged to the “other USC”) told South Carolina broadcasting legend Phil Kornblut that there is a “high chance” that he winds up with the South Carolina Gamecocks instead of the Southern Cal Trojans.

The basketball squads made major waves in recruiting, as well.

Forward Joyce Edwards, the nation’s #2-ranked prospect, committed to Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks.

4-star point guard Eli Ellis joined the 2025 recruiting class for Lamont Paris’ men’s team.

The women are challenging for the top-ranked class in 2024, and the men currently are ranked #1 in the ’25 cycle.

Three South Carolina Gamecocks basketball commitments have been named to the watch list for the Naismith High School Player of the Year award.

Point guard Madisen McDaniel, forward Joyce Edwards, and post player Adhel Tac are among the 30 best high school players (seniors and juniors).

Shane Beamer hinted that a star player could be returning against Clemson.

Juice Wells, who has missed every snap since scoring a touchdown against Georgia early in the season, has practiced for the last week.

The Gamecocks were projected to a familiar bowl game against an even more familiar face.

CBSSports’ Jerry Palm projected Carolina to the Birmingham Bowl against Shawn Elliott and Georgia State.

After the Vanderbilt game, one Gamecock was chosen to PFF’s National Team of the Week.

Defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway (who played some at both defensive tackle and defensive end in two different defensive fronts) knocked down 3 passes at the line of scrimmage and had 5 tackles. The big man made PFF’s National Team of the Week as a defensive tackle.

Dawn Staley’s team put two players on ESPN’s top-25 list and a prestigious watch list.

Te-Hina Paopao and Kamilla Cardoso were honored by the worldwide leader as being among the best players in the entire country.

Both Paopao and Cardoso also were put on the early season watch list for the Wooden Award (National Player of the Year).

Speaking of Kamilla Cardoso…

The Brazilian center was chosen as the SEC’s Player of the Week and as one of five National Players of the Week for her performances against Notre Dame and Maryland.