A lot has changed in the last week for No. 1 South Carolina women’s basketball.
On Monday night, the Gamecocks opened the season against Michigan and despite the game happening in Las Vegas, the crowd was wearing garnet and black for the defending national champions.
After the 68-62 win, on Tuesday morning The Greenville News reported that the arrest charges against junior forward Ashlyn Watkins from Aug. 31 were dismissed on Nov. 1. On Wednesday, the program confirmed that Watkins is back practicing with the team.
South Carolina and coach Dawn Staley have not revealed whether Watkins will play on Sunday against No. 8 NC State, which it beat in the Final Four on April 5 78-59.
The game is in Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina (3 p.m., ESPN).
South Carolina, NC State return talented guards
The Wolfpack (1-0) return their best player, senior guard Aziaha James who averaged 16.8 points last season, the eighth-best average in the ACC. She scored 20 points against South Carolina in the Final Four and scored 17 points and had nine rebounds in the season opener on Tuesday in an 80-55 win vs East Tennessee State.
Senior star guard Saniya Rivers also returns after averaging 12.5 points last season. She’s in her third year with NC State, after spending the 2021-22 season with the Gamecocks under Staley. The third piece of the puzzle from last year is sophomore Zoe Brooks, who scored 21 points on Tuesday.
The Gamecocks return all three starting guards in Raven Johnson, Bree Hall and Te-Hina Paopao, in addition to sophomores Tessa Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley, who are threats off the bench. Last time these teams met, Raven Johnson had 13 points and Paopao had 10.
On Monday, Tessa Johnson had 15 points and Paopao had nine.
South Carolina, NC State replacing starting post players
South Carolina lost 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso, who was taken in the WNBA draft No. 3 overall by Chicago. The Gamecocks have Chloe Kitts back as a starting post player along with senior Sania Feagin. Kitts had 19 points and 14 rebounds on Monday.
NC State lost both 6-foot-5 River Baldwin and 6-foot-3 Mimi Collins. Coach Wes Moore started 6-foot-5 Lizzy Williamson and 6-foot Madison Hayes in their place Tuesday. Hayes averaged the third-highest on the team last season with 10. Williamson played in 19 games, all off the bench, averaging 4.9 minutes per game last season.
South Carolina, NC State play tight man defense
The Gamecocks struggled against Michigan’s saggy zone defense, but it’ll be different Sunday with the speed and aggression of the Wolfpack’s tight, disciplined man defense.
Both teams will pressure the guards heavily, and look for steals. Rivers and Raven Johnson both averaged 2.1 steals per game last season.
South Carolina vs NC State series history
NC State holds a 20-13 lead in the series over South Carolina, but the Gamecocks are 3-2 the last five matchups.
South Carolina vs NC State score prediction
South Carolina 86, NC State 78: The Gamecocks don’t start out as slow and as sloppy as they did Monday. They shoot better than 33.3%, and take better shots overall but the Wolfpack’s talented roster keeps it a very close game.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
