Five Key Things to Watch in South Carolina Women’s Basketball vs. Indiana

South Carolina, the Gamecocks are gearing up to face off against Indiana on Sunday with a spot in the Sweet 16 at stake. Here’s everything to watch and how to catch the action.

1. Rebounding Battle

Indiana’s four-guard lineup doesn’t exactly lend itself to dominating the boards, and that’s been evident in their rebounding struggles. South Carolina, while not quite as dominant as previous seasons, still holds its ground on the glass. In their losses this season, the Gamecocks were out-rebounded by an average of 11 boards. In contrast, last season, Indiana managed to keep it close, being outrebounded by only two against a stronger rebounding team. For an upset to happen, the Hoosiers will need to keep South Carolina’s rebounding in check.

“I think they never go away from their transition offense, offensive rebounding,” said Sydney Parrish, Indiana’s top rebounder. “Without a 6’7″ kid in there with Kamilla (Cardoso) and Ashlyn Watkins being injured at the beginning of this year, that definitely helps us. We are not as tall as they are. I think that we have the strength of maybe trying to play a little bit smarter than them and knowing when to pick and choose, when to double, when to help off certain people, when to push the ball, and try to play fast and when to try and tempo it down a little bit.”

2. Rising Stars

South Carolina’s younger players made a significant impact against Tennessee Tech. Freshmen Joyce Edwards, Maddy McDaniel, and Adhel Tac had standout debuts, with Edwards scoring 22 points. Additionally, sophomores MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson took their second tournament appearances to the next level. Last season, Johnson had a scoreless debut against Presbyterian, and Fulwiley struggled to hit double figures in four games. But this year, both players have found their rhythm.

Johnson posted 11 points, five rebounds, and a career-high six assists, while Fulwiley added 15 points, five assists, four blocks, and three steals, shooting 6-8 from the field.

“I’ve just got to do whatever I need to do to help my team win,” Fulwiley said. “I think that’s what I’ve been going out there and doing. I’m just glad that it’s all coming together at the right time.”

Fulwiley has committed to contributing more than just scoring this tournament and currently leads the Gamecocks with 3.8 assists per game in the postseason.

3. The Oregon Reunion

In a bittersweet twist, Te-Hina Paopao and Sydney Parrish are set to face off after starting their careers together at Oregon. Both were part of the nation’s top-ranked signing class and have since opted to return for another season. They won’t have much time to catch up this weekend, focusing on their own teams, but there’s still some friendly banter.

“She spotted me and we started laughing and giggling,” Paopao shared after an encounter with Parrish on Friday.

The game on Sunday will mark a reunion as one of them will end their college career, with Paopao reflecting on the strange timing: “It’s kind of funny just because we started college together and now we’re going to end up ending each other’s career in college. It’s going to be a fun day (Sunday) and it’s just unfortunate that it had to be both of us at the same time.”

4. Second-Round Expectations

South Carolina’s offensive performance on Friday was nothing short of spectacular, scoring 108 points on 67.2% shooting, with 12-19 from three-point range and 25 assists. However, it’s unlikely the Gamecocks will repeat such a dominating performance against Indiana, a stronger defensive team than Tennessee Tech. Historical trends show South Carolina has had some struggles in second-round matchups, including tight wins in 2023 and 2022. While another nail-biter wouldn’t be cause for concern, fans would love to see a focused Gamecocks team replicate their dominant second-round win last year, where they blew out North Carolina 88-41.

5. Scouting the Hoosiers

Indiana’s season has been a mix of highs and lows, with some unexpected losses but also impressive upsets. In their first-round game, the Hoosiers took control in the second half to secure a 76-68 win after initially falling behind to Utah. Despite shooting poorly from three (5-17, below their 36.5% average), they shot 58% overall and were a perfect 13-15 from the free-throw line.

Their four-guard lineup proved troublesome for South Carolina in last year’s Sweet 16, when the Gamecocks used their size advantage early but had to fend off a Hoosiers comeback sparked by their quickness and perimeter shooting. Dawn Staley noted that similar tactics from Indiana caused issues, especially when the Hoosiers ran “small ball” sets and had their guards screening for quick shots.

The Matchup

Who: #1 South Carolina (31-3, 15-1) vs #9 Indiana (20-12, 10-8)
When: 3:00 PM ET, Sunday, March 23
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC
Watch: ABC

Sendoff: 12:45 PM at the Marriott Columbia Hotel (1200 Hampton St.)

Stay tuned for what promises to be an exciting and intense matchup as the Gamecocks look to continue their march towards the Sweet 16!