The No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks travel to Memorial Gymnasium to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 3 p.m. ET. The Gamecocks enter the matchup with strong momentum, boasting one of the toughest schedules in the nation and a dominant record against SEC opponents.
Gamecock Notables
- Toughest Schedule in the Nation: South Carolina’s schedule ranks as the hardest in the country, with 13 Quad 1 games—tied for the most nationally. Their strength of schedule has been bolstered by six non-conference Quad 1 games and the competitive SEC slate.
- Fast Break Excellence: The Gamecocks rank fourth in the nation with 18.2 fast break points per game, including 19.5 in SEC contests. They outscore opponents by 10.4 points per game in transition.
- Joyce Edwards’ Impact: The freshman standout is averaging 15.2 points per SEC game on an impressive 61.5% shooting, ranking second in the league. She has led the team in scoring in eight of 13 conference games, including back-to-back 23-point performances.
- Defensive Stars: MiLaysia Fulwiley ranks in the SEC’s top 10 in both blocks (1.00 per game) and steals (1.92 per game). Raven Johnson leads the SEC with a 3.15 assist-to-turnover ratio, which jumps to 4.00 in league play.
- Three-Point Efficiency: Te-Hina Paopao has shot 50.0% from beyond the arc in the last three games, making six of her last 12 attempts.
- Rebounding Strength: Chloe Kitts has dominated the glass recently, averaging 10.0 rebounds over her last three games, including 5.3 offensive boards per game.
By the Numbers
- .765 – South Carolina’s free throw percentage, on pace to break the program’s single-season record (.730, 2018-19).
- 2.0 – The number of the Gamecocks’ 5.7 blocks per game coming from guards.
- 51.4% – The percentage of South Carolina’s offense coming from points in the paint (41.5 per game).
The Vanderbilt Series
South Carolina leads the all-time series 22-21 but has dominated in the Dawn Staley era with a 17-2 record, winning the last 16 meetings. Last season’s matchup saw the Gamecocks claim a 91-74 victory behind 20 assists on 35 made field goals. Their last trip to Nashville resulted in a commanding 96-48 win on Jan. 19, 2023.
Road Warriors
The Gamecocks have a strong history on the road, with a .751 winning percentage (142-47) under head coach Dawn Staley. In SEC road games, they boast a 99-34 (.744) record. South Carolina’s recent program-record 33-game road win streak (Jan. 6, 2022 – Nov. 20, 2024) is the third-longest in NCAA Division I history.
Quarter Breakdown
The Gamecock defense has held opponents to single-digit scoring in a quarter 16 times this season, including seven against ranked teams. South Carolina’s strongest quarter offensively has been the third (+7.1 scoring margin), followed closely by the second (+6.6).
Individual Quarter Performances
- Joyce Edwards – Three 10+ point quarters
- MiLaysia Fulwiley – Two 10+ point quarters
- Tessa Johnson – Two 10+ point quarters
- Chloe Kitts & Te-Hina Paopao – One 10+ point quarter each
- Top Single-Quarter Performance – Tessa Johnson’s 14 points in the second quarter vs. Mississippi State (Jan. 5)
As South Carolina prepares to face Vanderbilt, they bring a combination of elite defense, rebounding dominance, and efficient scoring that has made them one of the top teams in the country. Stay tuned for what promises to be an exciting SEC showdown!