South Carolina Basketball: 3 thumbs up, 3 thumbs down from domination of UConn

South Carolina Basketball vs. UConn Huskies
Thumbs Down 1: Non-Paopao Outside Shooting

A slightly concerning trend continued on Sunday. The Gamecocks, other than Te-Hina Paopao, have not taken very many outside shots lately. Now, for four games in a row, USC players who aren't wearing #0 on their jersey have shot just 12 or fewer 3-pointers and made 4 or fewer.

If other Gamecocks don't consistently provide an outside threat, "paint packing" could return as a defensive tactic against Carolina in the NCAA Tournament in the minutes that Paopao is off the floor. USC fans should expect to see Coach Staley push for her capable shooters (Bree Hall, Raven Johnson, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Tessa Johnson, and even Chloe Kitts) to get some more open looks going forward.

South Carolina Basketball vs. UConn Huskies
Thumbs Down 2: Tough Day for Fulwiley and Hall

MiLaysia Fulwiley and Bree Hall have had games this season in which they each have been South Carolina basketball's top player. On Sunday, though, neither had their best game.

Fulwiley shot just 2-10 from the field and had several questionable passes and dribbling decisions. Hall made just 1-8 of her field goal attempts, and she wasn't able to pull down a single rebound.

To have a realistic chance of winning another national championship, MiLaysia Fulwiely and Bree Hall will need to be more consistent sources of offense for Coach Staley's team. The good news for Gamecock fans, though, is that it is a pretty safe bet that the two players will return to being impact players sooner rather than later.

South Carolina Basketball vs. UConn Huskies
Thumbs Down 3: Aaliyah Edwards

The biggest area where Kamilla Cardoso's absence was noticed came in the way they defended Aaliyah Edwards. The talented Husky was Geno Auriemma's best player in the game, and she had her most success when Ashlyn Watkins wasn't in the game.

Edwards scored 20 points and secured 12 rebounds in the game, and she shot 8-13 from the field as the only UConn player with better than 50% shooting efficiency.

In the end, the "thumbs down" won't matter as Carolina easily beat their rival from the Big East, and Cardoso will be back to help out down low this week.