COLUMBIA — After a brief pause in ranked play, South Carolina women’s basketball hosts a top-20 SEC matchup.
The No. 3 Gamecocks (23-2, 9-1 SEC) beat Mississippi State 88-45 on Feb. 5 and now host No. 17 Tennessee on Feb. 8 (3 p.m. ET, ABC).
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South Carolina hasn’t had a ranked game since it beat then No. 4 Vanderbilt 103-74 on Jan. 25.
The Lady Vols (15-5, 7-1 SEC) are coming into the game off a overtime win over Georgia and coach Kim Caldwell is 0-1 against Dawn Staley since taking over the program.
Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.
South Carolina vs Tennessee injury report for Dawn Staley
It’s unclear whether three South Carolina starting guards – Tessa Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson or Agot Makeer – will play against the Lady Vols.
Latson and Makeer have missed the last two games with lower leg injuries.
Staley held Johnson out of the second half of South Carolina’s win over Mississippi State on Feb. 5, saying, “She’s just a little sore so we opted to keep her out and get her ready for the Tennessee game.”
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If Staley had to pick between resting Latson and Makeer for one of the next two games, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she picks Tennessee with LSU on Feb. 14 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), but that doesn’t mean they aren’t needed.
Latson is not only the second-leading scorer with 15.2 points but is versatile in how she scores. Raven Johnson will need help from veterans like Latson and Tessa Johnson, who won’t get thrown off by the pace of Tennessee’s play.
Makeer is mature on both sides of the basketball and can help the Gamecocks against the Lady Vols’ defensive pressure.
The most official update will come from the SEC injury report, first published at 8:10 p.m. ET on Feb. 7 then updated Feb. 8.
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Can South Carolina handle Tennessee’s fast-paced, high-pressure style?
Caldwell’s system subs often, which means she demands high-level speed and effort for a fast-paced game.
South Carolina has struggled at times with getting sped up by opponents, like when it had 21 turnovers vs Florida. Texas pressed most of the game on Jan. 15 and the Gamecocks won 68-65 but had 20 turnovers.
Tennessee is 26th nationally in steals with 11.6 and 22nd in turnovers forced per game at 21.37.
Raven Johnson had no turnovers last year when she played Tennessee but had veteran guards around her. It will be a big game for freshman Ayla McDowell and sophomore Maddy McDaniel, especially if Latson doesn’t play.
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Where South Carolina can capitalize on Tennessee’s weaknesses
In their 77-62 loss to Mississippi State, the Lady Vols were outrebounded 50-31. South Carolina can take control if it keeps them off the boards.
They also average 15.4 turnovers a game (ranks 116th) and South Carolina forces 19 a game.
Caldwell said that in the loss to UConn on Feb. 1, Tennessee took bad shots that turned into points for UConn. South Carolina’s opponents are shooting an average of 33.8% from the field (sixth nationally) so forcing the Lady Vols into rushed or poor shots is key.
Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot will also need to make the most of South Carolina’s size advantage.
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South Carolina vs Tennessee prediction
South Carolina 71, Tennessee 60: The Gamecocks are led by Okot and Edwards on offense.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina vs Tennessee prediction for Dawn Staley, Kim Caldwell
