After a tough loss to now-No. 4, North Carolina State, South Carolina women’s basketball dropped in their ranking to No. 5, still a great spot, but not what they were before. SC had a 29 win game streak before losing to the Wolfpack. Now with one loss on the records, many fans are asking what the rest of the season may hold for SC. But many remain hopeful. Now that the Gamecocks Drop to No. 5: What’s Next?
🆕 AP Top 25 🏀 Week 3
— NCAA Women’s Basketball (@ncaawbb) December 7, 2020
1. Stanford
2. Louisville
3. Connecticut
4. North Carolina State
5. South Carolina
6. Arizona
7. Baylor
8. Oregon
9. Kentucky
10. Texas A&M
11. UCLA
12. Mississippi State
13. Arkansas
14. Maryland
15. Indiana
How Do They Get Back on Top?
After a tough loss to NC State, the Gamecocks headed to Iowa to face ranked Iowa State. The Gamecocks fought hard and got a great win over a ranked non-conference opponent. With the help of Zia Cooke who finished with 19 points and 4 assists. And Aliyah Boston with 13 points and 15 rebounds, the Gamecocks pulled off a much-needed win to get back on track.
😤 Back in the win column pic.twitter.com/1rbTwAcbxG
— GamecockWBB (@GamecockWBB) December 6, 2020
Who Needs to Step Up?
Having only lost two seniors after the 2019-20 season, SC needed to fill both Tyasha Harris and Kiki Herbert-Harrigan‘s role. With the addition of Destiny Littleton, who is coming off a redshirt season, and Eniya Russell, a freshman; this team is young but still has several familiar faces. This further illustrates that leaders are needed for this young South Carolina team.
Aliyah Boston, only a sophomore had a great freshman season but is finally starting to get her groove back this season. Having a double-double against Iowa State most likely will get her confidence up and her groove on. Zia Cooke has been an excellent player for the Gamecocks, if she continues scoring the Gamecocks should be successful. SC has many players that they need to be successful. Laeticia Amihere for example has been a force off the bench. Her energy and ability to get shots under the basket has been key for this team. The bench play should be a key for SC going forward as it has helped them be successful in the past.
Looking Forward: SEC Play
SC only has one more non-conference game before SEC play begins. They first face Temple at home on Dec. 17th, then on Dec. 31st conference play begins. The Gamecocks have been known to dominate in SEC play winning the past 5 out of 6 SEC tournament championships along with several regular-season championships. The SEC has great teams that SC will face, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Arkansas. If SC can dominate in the SEC and win both championships, the Gamecocks may get another chance at the No. 1 spot.
That’s how you bounce back 💪
— GamecockWBB (@GamecockWBB) December 6, 2020
🔗https://t.co/ffIxsHrKJk pic.twitter.com/PMg0YSUOlo
Thank you for reading my article: Gamecocks Drop to No. 5: What’s Next? Make sure to follow my Twitter @aislynjowers for more of my content and follow @beyondwsports. Read my latest article Tiana Mangakahia’s Return to the Court. Make sure to keep a lookout for my next article. Be sure to check out Beyond Women’s Sports for more articles on amazing women and their sport.
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